Rabies cases rising, but dog vaccination remains halted

Three-year-old Anas had some food held in his tiny hands. Drawn by the food, a dog came close. Frightened, he ran towards his home—but within moments, the dog lunged and bit his left hand.

The incident took place on the morning of 15 April in Uttarkhan area of the capital. He was quickly taken to the Infectious Disease Hospital in Mohakhali, where he was given an anti-rabies vaccine.

Anas’s father, Emon, told Prothom Alo, “We do not know whose dog it was. It appeared suddenly and bit him. We are worried about rabies. On the advice of a local physican, we brought him to the hospital quickly.”

Such incidents are no longer isolated in the capital—every day, the number of patients injured by dog bites or scratches is increasing, along with the risk of rabies.

Data from the Infectious Diseases Hospital show that in 2023, a total of 94,380 people received treatment there after being attacked by dogs and cats. In 2024, the number rose to 122,263. In 2025, it increased further to 146,243. As of 17 March 2026, a total of 36,751 people have already received treatment there.

Hospital authorities say that one of the main reasons behind this upward trend is the growing number of stray dogs in the capital and the stagnation of dog vaccination programmes.

People of all ages receive treatment at the Infectious Diseases Hospital. Those associated with the hospital say that the number of patients has been rising steadily compared with previous years. In particular, the rate of children affected by dog bites or scratches is alarming.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, a physician on duty at the hospital said, “Many people come late. Some first seek local treatment and then come here. This further increases the risk.”

Experts say that one of the main reasons behind the rising number of patients is the increasing number of stray dogs in the capital and the stagnation of vaccination programmes.

Not all dogs pose the same risk; bites from dogs infected with the rabies virus are the most dangerous. The risk is even higher when the attacking dog has not been vaccinated.

According to public health experts, rabies is a disease in which death occurs in almost 100 per cent of cases once symptoms appear. Therefore, prevention is the only effective measure.

Data from the Infectious Diseases Hospital show that in recent years, the number of deaths from rabies in the country has also increased. In 2023, 42 people died from rabies. In 2024, the number rose to 58 while in 2025 it was 59. In the first two and a half months of 2026, 19 deaths have been recorded already.

Hospital officials said, although deaths from rabies had remained low for a long time, they have recently begun to rise again. The situation is not yet alarming, but urgent steps are needed to control the dog population and to scale up rabies vaccination for both humans and dogs.

A coordinated programme to eliminate rabies had been in place in the country since 2010. It included dog vaccination, birth control, raising public awareness and ensuring prompt treatment for those affected.

According to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), under this programme nearly 2.9 million (29 lakh) dogs were vaccinated against rabies across more than 60 districts. The first round of vaccination was completed in all 64 districts, the second round in 46 districts and the third round in eight districts.

According to the World Health Organization, if at least 70 per cent of dogs in an area are vaccinated for three consecutive years that area can effectively be made rabies-free.

However, officials involved in disease control at the Directorate General of Health Services say that following the political change in 2024, the programme has effectively been halted.

Due to a lack of funding, new vaccination and birth control activities cannot be carried out. As a result, the number of unvaccinated dogs is increasing rapidly, and these dogs are a major source of rabies transmission.

There is no effective coordination among the relevant government agencies responsible for the management and control of stray dogs in the capital, Dhaka.

Previously, the Directorate General of Health Services worked nationwide under a national programme to control stray dogs. At present, however, it has no such active programme, nor any plan to restart one.

The Department of Livestock Services has also stated that it currently has no specific activities or initiatives in place for dog control. Meanwhile, although the two Dhaka city corporations had taken various steps in the past to manage stray dogs, they now report having no effective plans or regular activities in this sector.

There is also no reliable data available with the city corporations on the total number of stray dogs in Dhaka.

Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) said that it conducts operations in specific areas under its own arrangements when complaints arise about increased dog attacks or public concern.

Before 2024, DSCC regularly carried out dog control activities. However, since 2024, these activities have declined significantly. Previously, more than 500 dogs were sterilised each year, but in about the past 20 months, only around 150 dogs have been sterilised.

DSCC veterinary officer Sharan Kumar Saha said, “There is no vaccine supply and there is a lack of coordination. As a result, it has become difficult to carry out regular activities.”

On the other hand, Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) said its own capacity is limited. Although a memorandum of understanding was signed with three private organisations in January this year, there is no clear information about the progress of those activities.

DNCC public health officer Mohammad Lutfor Rahman said they do not even have data on how many dogs there are or where the risks are highest. They also lack information about the activities being carried out by private organisations.

The DNCC official added that due to a lack of human resources and organisational structure, effective dog control measures cannot be implemented.

Mahfuza Haque, a media professional who feeds stray dogs on her own initiative, said blaming dogs will not solve the problem. She said dogs cannot speak, and no one understands their language. When a dog bites or attacks someone, it is easy to vent anger on the animal, but that is not a solution. What is needed is proper control and widespread rabies vaccination.

She added that dog control would be possible if the city corporations and the Department of Livestock Services worked together. However, the humane aspect of dealing with dogs must also be taken into consideration.

Professor Md Halimur Rashid, director of the Disease Control Division at the Directorate General of Health Services, said, “We are preparing a new plan to prevent rabies. However, under this plan, only humans will be vaccinated. At this moment, there is no plan to vaccinate dogs or to control the dog population.”

The DGHS official further said that dog control or vaccination should not be the responsibility of the Directorate General of Health Services. Rather, such activities should be carried out by the Department of Livestock Services.

However, discussions with the Department of Livestock Services reveal that no dog control activities are currently being implemented, either in the capital or elsewhere in the country.

Confirming this, Md Habibur Rahman, chief of the Planning and Evaluation Cell of the Department of Livestock Services, said that a new plan regarding stray dogs is being developed. However, he does not yet have detailed information about it.