Sundarbans to be protected jointly
Bangladesh joins hands with the neighbouring countries to work together in a regional initiative to manage and protect wildlife and biodiversity, especially the Bengal Tiger and its habitat, the Sundarbans.
Dr Hasan Mahmud, state minister for environment and forests, said this while speaking as the chief guest at a discussion organised in the city's Osmani Memorial Auditorium, marking the Global Tiger Day 2011 yesterday.
The speakers said Bangladesh is one of the important members of the tiger ranged countries (TCR) having world's most densely populated tiger habitat, the Sundarbans, and is working regionally and globally to save the big cats.
The state minister said the government has enacted a compensation policy for wildlife victim last year, which says if any person dies in encounter with wild animal, he or she will get Tk 1 lakh, and if injured, he or she will get half the amount.
Dr Hasan also voiced caution that the Wildlife Conservation Act says if anyone kills tiger, he or she will be sentenced to 12 years in prison.
Eminent tiger specialist Dr Monirul H Khan talked about the presence of Bengal Tiger in the mixed evergreen forest of the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT). Official record says the last tiger was killed in 1976 in the Kassalong forest, once home of Bengal Tigers.
Speaking as a special guest, Dhaka University Vice-chancellor AAMS Arefin Siddique said the primary academic curriculum should include topics on wildlife and biodiversity to make children aware about it.
Presenting the keynote paper, Dr Anwarul Islam, chief executive of the Wildlife Trust of Bangladesh, said every year people kill around 10,000 deer, the most common prey of tiger, which is a matter of concern.
The state minister, following the discussion, unveiled the cover of a book titled "Tigers in the Mangroves" by Dr Monirul H Khan.
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