Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has called upon the tiger range countries to keep their continued stride for protecting the tigers as she assured that her government will do everything to this end.
The Prime Minister made the statement while inaugurating the Second Global Tiger Stocktaking Conference of the Tiger Range Countries and Global Tiger Initiative partners at Sonargaon Hotel on Sunday morning.
"I hope that the tiger range countries would keep their continued efforts for protecting tigers... let us join hands to save the tigers and save nature," she said.
"I want to assure you all that my government will do everything to protect the tigers," she added.
She also said the tiger range countries will have to take steps reviewing their previous activities as well as renewing plans and implementation strategies.
"We are more than three years into the Global Tiger Recovery Programme... I believe we have arrived at a turning point to reach our desired goals of protecting tigers," she said.
Sheikh Hasina urged the world community to join hands in protecting the Sunderbans, the world's largest mangrove forest. "The tigers protect the Sunderbans, while the Sunderbans saves Bangladesh," she said.
Bangladesh Forest Department under the Ministry of Environment and Forests is organising the three-day conference in cooperation with Global Tiger Initiative, Global Tiger Forum and development partners, including the World Bank aimed at saving the big cats from their extinction.
At the function, Sheikh Hasina received a "token of appreciation" from the organisers of the conference for her pivotal role in conservation of the big cats.
About 140 representatives from 20 countries, including the tiger range countries (TRCs), and donor agencies are participating in the conference.
The TRCs that are participating in the conference are Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Russia, Thailand, Vietnam and North Korea.
Noting that wild tigers have for centuries occupied a special place in the nature and culture of Asia, Sheikh Hasina said tiger has been declared as the national animal in many countries and it is a symbol of strength and courage.
The Prime Minister said unplanned human population growth, indiscriminate industrialisation, destruction of forest and overall development pressure are causing depletion of the habitat of the tigers.
At the same time, she said, illegal poaching and quizzing of its habitat make the tiger an endangered species.
Sheikh Hasina said during the last one century, the population of this spectacular animal has been reduced from over one hundred thousand to a mere 3,700 worldwide now.
"I hope that this conference would play a significant role in increasing the tiger population, and conserving and ensuring a secured life for this beautiful creature," she said.
The Prime Minister mentioned that the heads of government of tiger range countries, being the custodians of the last remaining tigers in the wild, gathered with the common goal of conservation of tigers at an International Tiger Forum in St Petersburg, Russia in November 2010.
"We expressed our determination to strive to double the number of wild tigers across their range by 2022 on the basis of the tiger population in 2010. To reach this goal, we also endorsed an implementation mechanism," she said.