Wild birds trapped, sold in Patuakhali, Barguna
These slaughtered birds, along with several other live ones, were seized from two hunters in the coastal mangrove forest in Galachipa upazila under Patuakhali district on September 27.Photo: STAR
A section of unscrupulous people are engaged in hunting birds in mangrove forests in the coastal areas of Patuakhali and Barguna districts. Setting traps, they are hunting different kinds of birds in the reserve forest areas in Kalapara, Galachipa and Dashmina upazilas in Patuakhali district and Amtali, Taltali and Pathorghata upazilas in Barguna district. Locals alleged that random bird hunting has continued for long with the help of some dishonest forest officials. On September 27, Kabir Hossain, a fish trader of Charbestin under Char Montaz union in Galachipa upazila, caught two men from local forest when they were hunting birds. Kabir also seized over 100 birds, most of them slaughtered, from the culprits identified as Rafizul, 32, and Harun, 30, of Char Manika village under Charfashion in Bhola district. Kabir handed them over to the forest camp at Charbestin. But forest officials freed them without taking any legal action. Kabir alleged that the two culprits were freed in exchange of money. When contacted, Zakir Hossain of Charbestin beat office said, "We are facing crisis of manpower. So we cannot patrol in the areas properly." But he did not reply when asked why the two bird hunters were freed. Hunted birds are openly sold in markets, locals said. When contacted, Gobindo Roy, divisional forest officer in Patuakhali, said, "I will investigate the matter and take necessary step if any forest staff is found guilty."
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