Nine jailed for processing horses' meat in Manikganj

MANIKGANJ, Sept 24: Nine people were sentenced to jail by a mobile court in Manikganj on Wednesday for allegedly slaughtering 13 horses and processing their meat at a warehouse in Jagir area of Manikganj Sadar Upazila.

One of the accused was sentenced to one year in jail, while the other eight were handed six-month terms without labour.

The sentences were handed down around 2pm at a warehouse in Jagir, said Ricta Khatun, Executive Magistrate and Assistant Commissioner (Land) of Manikganj Sadar Upazila.

The convicts are Mizanur Rahman, Rubel, Sohel Rana, Imon Hasan, Tuhin, Ibrahim Khalil, Masud Jana, Humayun Kabir and Maruf.

Ricta Khatun said police from Manikganj Sadar Police Station raided a warehouse at an abandoned factory in Jagir around 2am on Tuesday following a tip-off.

Nine people were arrested while they were allegedly slaughtering horses and processing the meat, she said.

They were produced before the mobile court on Wednesday afternoon, which sentenced them to jail, she added.

According to the magistrate, a man named Hiru from Singair Upazila had hired the nine men on a contract to slaughter horses and process the meat.

The processed meat was supposed to be supplied to hotels in Dhaka and nearby areas, she said.
Dr Md Monir Hossain, Sadar Upazila Livestock Officer, said the nine were sentenced for violating Section 4 of the Animal Slaughter and Meat Quality Control Act, 2011.