Them

Images and text: Md Ata Islam Khan Mojlish

During my visit to the Mirpur National Zoo, unsurprisingly, I noticed how the animals are not treated too well.  But what really broke my heart was that the visitors didn't care too much either. 

All that mattered, to them, was just a glimpse of the exotic animals. That they could breathe seemed to be enough. To think that they could possibly live an easier life with proper care is still foreign to us. Torn out of their natural habitat, they are placed in cages for cheap casual entertainment. They are thrown smack in the heart of Dhaka's blinding bustle and put on display to satisfy the colourful whims of the industrial grind.