Fourteen Bengal monitors were found dead in sacks during a wildlife protection drive, while the 10 surviving lizards were released into Alutila forest.
A 47-year-old woman was detained with 24 Bengal monitor lizards in Khagrachhari town in southeastern Bangladesh, 14 of which were already dead, during a joint operation by the district administration and the Forest Department, officials said.
The operation was conducted around 8:00pm last night in the Chenggi Square area following a tip-off. A mobile court recovered five sacks containing the lizards from the woman’s possession.
The detained woman was identified as Premrasho Marma, 47, of Kuradiachhara village in Panchhari upazila of Khagrachhari.
Of the 24 Bengal monitor lizards recovered, 10 were alive and 14 were dead, officials said.
Marma told authorities that she had bought the lizards for Tk 22,000 from Baraiyarhat in Chattogram and brought them to Khagrachhari to sell them.
Khagrachhari Divisional Forest Officer Md Farid Meah said the 10 surviving lizards were released into the natural forest at Alutila that night, while the dead ones were buried.
He said legal action would be taken against anyone who captures or hunts wildlife and that the Forest Department would continue regular drives to protect wildlife.
Assistant Commissioner and Executive Magistrate Durjoy Goswami said Marma was sent to Khagrachhari Sadar Police Station and police were instructed to file a case against her.
