Venison sells cheaper than beef, mutton!
22 deer poachers held in Khulna: Engine boat , trapping equipment seized
Security guards of Patkashta forest outpost under the West Wing of Sundarbans Forest Division arrested 22 poachers and seized from them an engine boat and equipment used for entrapping the deer on Saturday afternoon.
Open sale of venison for prices cheaper than that of beef and mutton at village markets in southern areas of Khulna district, mainly Paikgachha and Koira upazilas adjoining the Sundarbans, bear testimony to rampant poaching of deer in the forest.
Being tipped off from fishermen, forest guards picked up the poachers from compartment No 19 of the Sundarbans where they were hiding since November 18, said Nasir Ahmed, officer-in-charge of Patkoshta forest outpost in Koira upazila of Khulna district.
The poachers had entered the reserve forest without permission to hunt spotted deer taking advantage of the rush of a large number of people towards Rashmela at Dublarchar, Nasir Ahmed said.
The poachers were later shown arrested under The Forest Act and sent to Koira Judicial Magistrate's court at 4:30pm on the same day.
The arrestees are Rabindra Nath, Amit Roy, Gourhari Mallick, Gopi Nath Sarder, Debashish, Chinmoy, Parimol, Pradip, Joydev, Dilip, Bidhan, Nimai, Shubankesh, Alfaz, Paltu, Tanuj, Shubhankar, Shamiron, Musa Gazi, Mahatab, Shadhan and Alamgir. Alamgir is a 10-year-old boy.
At different village markets in Paikgachha and Koira upazilas, venison now sells at Tk 200 per kg whereas the prices of beef and mutton are Tk 240 and Tk 350 per kg respectively.
It means that poaching of deer is rampant in the Sundarbans obviously with the connivance of a section of forest officials serving in different camps under West Wing of the Sundarbans Forest Division, said Koira upazila parishad Chairman GM Mohsin Reza.
Spotted deer is hunted also for its skin that is sold for high prices to those who like to decorate their drawing rooms with the rare item.
"Human beings are posing more threat to deer than tigers and crocodiles. The deer can escape the attack of tigers by running away. But their lives have become insecure due to traps laid by poachers and shooting by unauthorised hunters," said Paikgachha upazila Chairman Khan Rashiduzzaman.
Both the upazila chairmen are of the opinion that it would be very difficult to save spotted deer from extinction unless tough action is taken against poachers, gunners and corrupt officials.
"Fifty to 70 spotted deer fall prey to poachers every month on average.
Besides spotted deer are killed by tigers and crocodiles," said a forest official requesting anonymity.
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