Dhaka: Immigration officials at Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport offloaded an Indian transit passenger with a consignment of 480 rare tortoises early Monday.

Airport thana police said the immigration officials seized a suitcase, containing the rare species of tortoise, from a Malaysia-bound flight of Biman at about 2:30am and held its owner, who booked under the name Pir Mehmed, hailed from Tamilnadu State of India.

On preliminary interrogation, the suspected tortoise smuggler told police that he was taking the consignment of Indian ‘Star Tortoise’ to Malaysia for trading out.

This kind of tortoise is found in dry areas and scrub forests in India and Sri Lanka, and is quite popular in the exotic pet trade.

Some traders at Katabon pets market in the city are also seen selling this species of reptile.


The duty officer of the airport police station said a case was field under the Special Powers Act and the Wildlife Preservation Act.

“The tortoises were taken to Dhaka Forest office at Agargaon,” he said.

BDST 1615HRS.May24, 2010
MZ/LY/MUA/