The tiger range countries should make more concerted efforts to protect tigers from extinction, speakers at the Second Global Tiger Stocktaking Conference said yesterday.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the three-day conference at Sonargaon Hotel in the capital.
Speaking at the conference, Hasina urged the tiger range countries to continue their efforts to protect tigers.
“I hope there would be continued efforts from these countries to protect tigers. Let us join hands to save the tigers and save nature,” she said.
She said the tiger range countries would have to renew plans and implementation strategies after reviewing their previous activities.
“For us, it has been more than three years into the Global Tiger Recovery Programme and I believe we have arrived at a turning point to reach our desired goals of protecting tigers,” she said.
The premier urged the world community to join hands in protecting the Sundarbans. “The tigers protect the Sundarbans, while the Sundarbans saves Bangladesh,” she said.
She said no tiger killing was reported in the last two years after the government had taken necessary steps in this regard.
“Earlier, three to four tigers were killed on an average every year and the human casualties have also been reduced to four from 25-30 a year,” said Hasina.
The Forest Department under the Ministry of Environment and Forests organised the conference with the assistance of Global Tiger Initiative, Global Tiger Forum and the World Bank.
Chaired by Environment and Forests Minister Anwar Hossain Manju, Deputy Minister for Environment and Forests Abdullah Al Islam Jakob, Secretary of the ministry Md Nojibur Rahman, World Bank Country Director Johannes Zutt, Global Tiger Forum Secretary General Rajesh Gopal, and Global Tiger Initiative Programme Manager Andrey V Kushlin addressed the conference among others.
Senior government officials from 13 tiger range countries participated in the conference to review progress towards their joint goal to double the number of wild tigers by 2022.
The countries are Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Russia, Thailand, and Vietnam.
A total of 140 delegates from 20 countries attended the conference.
Speaking at a press briefing after the inauguration programme, Anwar Hossain Manju said the main objective of the conference was to review the progress towards implementation of the Global Tiger Recovery Programme, to review the status of front-line capacity, resources, and gaps, and to increase international partnership to protect tigers.