The Wildlife Crime Control Unit (WCCI) of the Forest Department rescued four endangered Capped Langurs from Dhaka’s Mirpur area on Friday night while they were being transported to Chuadanga in a car for smuggling to India. The WCCI, along with officers from Shah Ali Police Station, also arrested a wildlife smuggler during the raid.
The operation took place near Mukta Bangla Shopping Complex under Shah Ali police station following a tip-off about illegal wildlife transport.
Abdullah As Sadique, an inspector at WCCI, confirmed the rescue and reported that the animals were found in poor conditions, stuffed into two plastic sacks and an iron cage in the back of the vehicle. “Of the four, a baby langur was found dead”, he added.
“The driver, identified as Nazrul, 35, failed to provide documentation for the animals, claiming instead that they were obtained from a man named Hadis Rahman, also known as Nirab, 32,” Sadique said.
Sadique added, “Nazrul admitted he was transporting the animals to an undisclosed person in Chuadanga district, and mentioned that smugglers often collect wildlife from the Alikadam area in Bandarban for illegal transport to India.”
Nazrul is now in custody at Shah Ali Police Station, where a case has been filed. Authorities are working to apprehend Hadis Rahman, a repeat offender with several cases of wildlife trafficking against him.
According to the Bangladesh Wildlife (Conservation and Protection) Act 2012 the capped langur is a protected species.
The Forest Department has pledged to strengthen its efforts to combat wildlife smuggling and has encouraged the public to report any suspicious activity involving protected animals.
