Lawacherra wildlife centre without surgeon, staff

Despite being the only wildlife treatment centre in the region, Lawacherra Wildlife Rescue Centre in Moulvibazar's Kamalganj upazila, is running without any veterinary surgeon, nurses and adequate equipment.

Although it has a building, there is no equipment and manpower to perform critical surgeries or even giving primary treatment to the injured animals.

The centre, where injured and sick animals are admitted for treatment, has been facing the crisis since its establishment in March 2015.

The situation turned worse when its only veterinary surgeon Mohammad Asaduzzaman resigned from his post in September last year.

Sreemangal Upazila Veterinary Surgeon Ariful Haq, who is providing his service voluntarily at the wildlife rescue centre, said, “As it is not my additional duty, the centre needs to appoint a veterinary surgeon immediately to keep its service functional.”

The treatment centre does not even have any chair, table and other necessary furniture to run its official activities, said Tabibur Rahman, assistant conservator of Wildlife Management and Nature Conservation Division in Moulvibazar.

Besides, a number of injured and sick animals died at the centre in different times as it has no staff to look after the animals since the beginning of its journey, Tabibur said. 

“We are running the centre with the help of the veterinary surgeon in Sreemangal,” he added.

An assistant conservator of Wildlife Management and Nature Conservation Division in Moulvibazar feeds another wounded deer during his visit to the centre. Photo: Star

During a recent visit to the rescue centre, this correspondent saw an injured barking deer groaning in pain due to lack of treatment.

Earlier, a binturong, captured in Tahirpur upazila of Sunamganj in January this year, died on way to Gazipur Safari Park after a week-long treatment at Bangladesh Wildlife Service Foundation in Sreemangal.

Mihir Kumar Doe, divisional forest officer of Wildlife Management and Nature Conservation Department, said he has written to the higher authorities to appoint required manpower at the rescue centre immediately.