Biral Bari: A purrfect sanctuary for felines

Robbie was Zeeshan and Mayisha's first stray. 

He was the only survivor from a litter of four kittens born to Ishima, a feral cat near Zeeshan Sadeque's parental home. Mayisha Alamgir took Robbie to their garage, fearing he might also die. 

"We later rescued Bobbie, a cat injured and soaked in the rain, and another kitten from a drain. That's how we started" Zeeshan said.

Realising that most foster homes weren't equipped to care for cats properly, and seeing some cats in worse condition after fostering, the animal-loving duo Zeeshan and Mayisha decided to take matters into their own hands. 

Inspired by Ernesto's Sanctuary for Cats in Syria, which cared for thousands of animals in a war-torn country, Zeeshan decided they could do something similar for 50 to 100 cats in Dhaka.

He reached out to Yazdan Ahmed, who was living in Thailand to pursue his career as an English teacher. Yazdan left it all behind when Zeeshan presented the idea and together with Mayisha, they formed Animal Rehabilitation Bangladesh (AniRBan) Trust in 2023. And in December, they started with their dream project- Biral Bari.

Realising the need for a specialised space for disfigured or impaired strays, they created Bangladesh's first dedicated cat sanctuary. Located in the serene Block L of Bashundhara, Dhaka, Biral Bari currently houses almost 70 stray cats. There are senior, impaired cats among the cat population here.

Zeeshan and Mayisha partnered with architect Rakibul Haque Amil of Ants Atelier Architects to design the sanctuary on a five-katha plot (almost 7,000 square feet). Mayisha, responsible for the design, spent weeks researching animal sanctuaries around the world before she found a model. "Our sanctuary had to be different," she explained. "It's designed like a home, but exclusively for cats, and the outcome exceeded our expectations."

It's a two-story building. While the ground floor is still undergoing interior work, the first floor already houses the cats. Photos of the nearly complete sanctuary are already gathering hype on social media.

It’s a two-story building. While the ground floor is still undergoing interior work, the first floor already houses the cats.

Architect Rakibul Haque explained that Biral Bari is a welfare project operating on funds, which is why they incorporated a café on the ground floor. "The café will help sustain the sanctuary by selling cat accessories, food, merchandise, and of course, café items," he said. The sanctuary is designed to be self-sustaining in the long run.

Currently, five caregivers are working in Biral Bari, who maintain the space and take care of the animals. "We maintain no more than ten cats in one person's care, unlike some foster homes where that ratio is one-to-60/70," said Yazdan.

Playing with the cats in Biral Bari would be absolutely free of cost. And while playing with the furry feline friends, visitors can adopt them if they want to.

How the space is curated for cats

More than half the land is kept open where not only the cats can roam around freely, but humans can play with them as well. The 4000-square-foot concrete complex stands on the western side of the land. 

Cats like to hide, so there are nooks for hiding. These nooks are padded with fabric for comfort, providing the cats a cozy retreat.

The two-story complex grows around a central courtyard. The courtyard will have plants and greens. "Generally poisonous and thorny plants should be avoided near any animal sanctuary because this can be fatal to their health. Other than that, any green plants, especially neem, can be placed there. Neem is very helpful as the plant's presence can protect them from invasive worms and germs,"   Rakibul Haque added. 

With the courtyard to the left, a stairway ascends to the first floor - the actual living space of the cats. On that floor, one of the very first things that grabs someone's attention is the iron net walls facing the open courtyard, to allow airflow and protect the cats from falling. 

"Bangladesh has a humid environment, so ample ventilation was one of the first priorities. We could not use an air conditioner for the stray cats, so we kept perforation on the brick wall so that the north-south breeze could pass," the architect said.   

The floor also features a 'gallery wall' with small wooden platforms for cats to climb and explore. There are toys and stacked layers for jumping, and two panoramic windows offer views of the outdoors, while keeping the cats safe from natural elements. 

The two-story complex grows around a central courtyard. The courtyard will have plants and greens.

"The windows are angled, providing a perch for the cats to sit and observe the outside world," Haque added. According to him, the people on the road can also see them when they sit on the window sills. 

Cats enjoy climbing and observing their surroundings from heights, so the space is dotted with high perches, swings, and climbing steps. They also like to hide so there are nooks for hiding. These nooks are padded with fabric for comfort, providing the cats with a cozy retreat. A quarantine room is also available for treating sick cats to prevent the spread of disease.

Felines need more than just shelter, food, and a clean litter box to have a fulfilling life. They need a welcoming and enriching environment to feel comfortable and safe. while also allowing them to safely express natural behaviours. For this, they need places to hide, and surfaces to scratch and stretch. That is why  jute rugs are kept on the floor for them to scratch. 

Cats enjoy climbing and observing their surroundings from heights, so the space is dotted with high perches, swings, and climbing steps.

Much like humans, cats prefer to eat and toilet in different areas. So the food and water bowls and litter trays are kept in different areas of the house. 

"Our cats don't have to fight for food. Everyone has their own bowl. Special-needs animals can't fight or hunt for food and eventually die due to natural selection. Not in here though. We will train up staff who can run Biral Bari as a proper sanctuary," said Sahel Abdullah, AniRBan Trust's manager.

Outdoor ground lighting makes the place look more appealing and aesthetically pleasing at night. 

Plans and community involvement

Biral Bari's founders envision the sanctuary as a welcoming space for people of all ages. The trust plans to introduce trap-neuter-return (TNR) programs to help control the stray cat population. Involving school children in these programs could not only benefit animal welfare but also serve as an educational tool for social responsibility.

Cats enjoy climbing and observing their surroundings from heights, so the space is dotted with high perches, swings, and climbing steps.

Though Biral Bari may never turn a profit, its influence is already growing. The sanctuary attracts volunteers and supporters, such as Ziad Riyan and Tayeba Sadia, who contribute simply out of love for animals. The community around Biral Bari continues to expand, drawing inspiration from its mission to provide a safe, comfortable space for cats in need.

As the sanctuary moves forward, its founders remain committed to their zero-tolerance policy against selling animals. "We believe in #AdoptDontShop," Mayisha emphasised, as the sanctuary continues to advocate for animal welfare and inspire others to do the same.