Officials of the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Directorate (CIID) and the Dhaka Customs House have recovered 202 pairs of endangered birds and animals from the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport.
The joint drive was conducted on a tip-off on Monday night, according to press release issued by CIID on Tuesday.
CIID Director General Dr Md Shahidul Islam said the endangered birds and animals were seized as they were imported from South Africa without obtaining the required no-objection certificates from Bangladesh’s Forest Department and the non-detrimental report of the CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora).
One of the illegally imported blue-and-yellow macaws seized at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on August 6, 2018 | Courtesy
The seized birds included 170 pairs of lovebirds, three pairs of baby parrots, three pairs of cockatoos, 10 pairs of conures, five pairs of green wing parakeets, three pairs of peacocks, three pairs of blue-and-yellow macaws,and two pairs of budgerigars.
The animals included two lemur monkeys and four common marmosets.
One of the illegally imported lemurs seized at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on August 6, 2018 | Courtesy
Shahidul on Tuesday also said that the recovered birds and animals, worth around Tk44 lakh, were sent to the Forest Department around 11:30am on Monday, and would be released at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Safari Park in Gazipur for preservation.
The CIID chief also added that legal action would be taken against the importers – Infobizz Inn of South Goran, BD Innovative Livestocks of Bhatara and Sajib Enterprise of Uttara – for violating the laws related to importing live animals.
