Discussion, poster display held in Chuadanga to protect migratory birds

Aiming to protect migratory birds and conserve local biodiversity, a discussion meeting and poster display campaign was organised in Jibannagar upazila of Chuadanga on Saturday afternoon.

The Jibannagar upazila unit of Bashundhara Shuvosangho arranged the programme at Benipur Bazar, adjacent to Benipur Baor under Simanta union, drawing more than a hundred local villagers.

Jibannagar upazila is rich in biodiversity, with numerous beels, canals, and wetlands scattered across the area.

During the winter season, these waterbodies transform into safe sanctuaries for thousands of migratory birds alongside domestic avian species.

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However, local biodiversity currently faces severe threats as unscrupulous poachers increasingly target the birds using airguns and poisoned bait.

Addressing the gathering, Jibannagar Forest Department official Shariful Islam Kajol warned that hunting migratory birds is a punishable offence under the law.

"The Wildlife (Conservation and Security) Act provides for strict imprisonment and financial penalties for killing birds. We have intensified administrative surveillance across wetlands throughout the border areas to catch offenders," he said.

Bashundhara Shuvosangho Jibannagar upazila unit Adviser and Kaler Kantho upazila correspondent Md Zahirul Islam said the local beels have historically served as safe havens for winged visitors during winter.

"If indiscriminate poaching is not brought to a complete halt, migratory birds will stop arriving here in the coming years. There is no alternative to robust community awareness and social resistance to protect them," the Shuvosangho unit adviser noted.

Highlighting the gravity of the situation, local resident Abdul Majid said, "In the past, massive flocks of migratory birds would settle across the beel. Now, due to the menace of poachers, they can hardly land. We urge the local administration to take stern, punitive measures against these bird hunters."

The meeting concluded with a collective call to community members and youth to maintain round-the-clock vigilance and protect the arriving migratory birds from poachers.