Guests or refugees?
Photo: STAR
In the backdrop of the recent news item in DS about the poisoning, netting and sale of guest birds in Hakaluki and presumably in other wetlands as well, it was a pleasant surprise to see on Eid Day, a flock of about 200-300 white egrets suddenly appearing in the Niketon Lake. They fly in every day at 6.45 am exactly and leave at dusk giving Dhakabashis a rare sight in their midst. However, I greatly fear for their health and safety. Dozens of large pipes continuously discharge household wastes, detergents, toilet cleaners and other muck from both Gulshan and Niketon sides. The canny birds are perhaps aware of this because they remain congregated on the small area overgrown with hyacinth and reeds near the Niketon bridge and avoid the “clear” water. The bird killers are still unaware of this phenomenon, but they will soon appear with their nefarious designs on these innocent creatures. Today, I saw some of them roosting on the only large tree overhanging the lake. I pray that it becomes their permanent roosting site while they are with us for the season. But maybe, this is a vain hope because I saw some people in the building beside this tree needlessly throwing all sorts of missiles at them. What a pity that when so many of our countrymen are guests (or refugees) in other lands, we are unable to show the same courtesy to our guest birds that we expect for ourselves over there.
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