Bangladesh
Sundarbans Red alert issued in Sundarbans
Dhaka, February 5: A red alert has been issued in the World Heritage Sundarbans to prevent the killing and trafficking of other wildlife, including the Royal Bengal Tiger and deer. This information was confirmed by the Sundarbans Division on Thursday (February 4) afternoon. The decision was taken after a large quantity of deer meat, including tiger and deer skins, was seized in the Sundarbans over the past two weeks.
Mohammad Belayet Hossain, Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) of the Sundarbans East Forest Department, said all the stations, camps and outposts of the Forest Department have been instructed to implement the Red Alert across the Sundarbans on the instructions of the Forest Department.
The DFO said, "This Red Alert has been issued recently due to the increase in the killing and trafficking of wildlife including tigers and deer in the Sundarbans. Strict instructions have been given to the forest rangers to perform their duties. In addition, instructions have been given to intensify patrols in the forest. A temporary ban has also been imposed on the movement of small dinghy boats in the forest. The forest department has also announced to stop all types of pass-permits. Fishermen and forest dwellers with pass-permits have already been instructed to come out of the forest.
On January 20, the Sundarbans Division and RAB-7 arrested a smuggler with a tiger skin from Sharankhola in Bagerhat.
Then on January 22, DB police again arrested two traffickers with 19 deer skins from Sharankhola. On January 25, police arrested two people from Pankhali Kheyaghat area of Dakop upazila in Khulna along with 11 kg of deer meat. On January 31, the Coast Guard arrested three people with 47 kg of deer meat from Digraj area of Mongla and on February 2, DB police arrested the smugglers with 42 kg of deer meat from Rampal in Bagerhat.
