We must stand against tiger smugglers and poachers with all our might. We must create a list of those involved in tiger smuggling to bring them back to normal life and create alternative livelihoods. In addition, a protective zone will be created around the Sundarbans to protect tigers.
Syeda Rizwana Hasan, Advisor to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, made this statement in a virtual speech at a program organized at the Forest Building in Agargaon in the capital on Tuesday to mark World Tiger Day 2025.
In her speech as the chief guest, Rizwana Hasan said, ‘The tiger is not just a wild animal; it is a symbol of Bangladesh’s pride and nationhood. Just as we are proud of the Sundarbans, we are also proud of the Royal Bengal Tiger. We see the tiger as a symbol of courage, love, and heroism. Calling cricketers “Tiger” is also an expression of that emotion.’
Commenting on the direct link between tiger deaths and trafficking, the environmental advisor said that human-tiger conflict has also increased. For this reason, thoughts are being given to building a social safety net in the areas adjacent to the Sundarbans.
Highlighting the increase in crime in the Sundarbans, Rizwana Hasan also emphasized the need to create a list of smugglers and those who need alternative livelihoods and bring them back from that path.
Speaking as a special guest at the event, Farhina Ahmed, Secretary of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, highlighted the various steps taken by her ministry for tiger conservation.
Taking part in the discussion, Md. Anwarul Islam, CEO of Wild Team, an organization engaged in tiger conservation and former professor of the Department of Zoology at Dhaka University, said, “There are many problems in tiger conservation. The solution is not easy. Humans are the only solution. That is why Wild Team is trying to create a protective zone around the Sundarbans by involving local people.”
The former professor said, “We have 49 Village Tiger Response Teams in our Wild Team, with a membership of 340. In addition, we have Forest Tiger Response Teams, Baghbandhu, and Tiger Scouts.” He commented that overcoming the tiger conservation crisis will not be easy without involving the local people.
Speaking at the event, Jahangirnagar University’s Department of Zoology professor and tiger expert M.A. Aziz said, “Tiger populations have disappeared from three countries—Cambodia, Vietnam, and Laos. The opposite picture is in India and Nepal. The number of tigers has increased there. In our 2024 survey, the number of tigers has increased by 8 percent. Even then, there are many challenges.”
The expert identified six challenges facing tigers inside and outside the Sundarbans in terms of tiger conservation. He called for urgent consideration of these challenges in tiger conservation plans: deer poaching, declining prey species, salinity in the Sundarbans, decreasing water levels upstream, and lack of alternative livelihoods for forest dwellers.
Speaking at the event, Chief Conservator of Forests of the Forest Department, Md. Amir Hossain Chowdhury, said that there are incidents of tigers being killed by humans after coming to the locality. The nylon barrier (obstacles placed to prevent tigers from entering the locality) that has been placed between the locality and the forest to stop the conflict between tigers and humans is now working well. A supportive environment for the coexistence of tigers and humans is being created.
This top forest department official said that this is acting as a psychological barrier for the tiger. Tiger smuggling has also reduced now compared to before due to the involvement of the public.
The program was jointly hosted by the Department of Forests’ Biodiversity Conservation Officer Syed Mahmudur Rahman and Rabeya Akhter. The program began at around 10 am with the traditional song Patua Sangeet of the Sundarbans area. Then, the covers of two books on the Sundarbans, ‘Sundarbans Conflict-Prone Tiger Management Guidelines’ and ‘Tigers of the Sundarbans,’ were unveiled.
Wildlife expert and former Principal Wildlife Specialist of Dubai Safari Park Mohammad Ali Reza Khan, Khulna Region Forest Conservator Imran Ahmed, and Wildlife and Nature Conservation Region Forest Conservator Md. Chanaullah Patwari were present at the event.
