DHAKA: Environment and forest minister Anwar Hossain said that a Crime Control Unit (CCU), combined with law enforcing agencies and led by Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), has been formed to prevent animal smuggling in the country.

He made this disclosure while answering a query by MP Nizam Uddin Hazari in the parliament Wednesday afternoon.

The minister said the terms of punishment have been increased under Animal (protection and security) Act 2012. According to this, the tiger poachers have to enjoy 2-7 years imprisonment and also to pay Tk 1-10 lakh as fine.

According to him, the government is taking assistance from INTERPOL.

A special team involving local people has also been formed to identify the smugglers, he added.

Moreover, a project titled ‘Bengal Tiger Conservation Activity’ is being implemented to deter smuggling.

While answering another question, the minister said the pugmark system is not scientific for tiger census. So, now the government conducted the census through camera trapping under a project called ‘Strengthening Regional Cooperation for Wild Protection’ under the forest department.

According to the specialists, there are 440 tigers, almost 1.5 lakh deer, 200-250 crocodiles and 25,000-30,000 monkeys in Sundarban, the single largest mangrove forest which is also in the list of UNESCO world heritage.

BDST: 2202 HRS, SEPT 02, 2015
BD/RR