Keeping JU safe for migratory birds

The campus of the Jahangirnagar University is famous for its lakes and green bushes, which provide a safe sanctuary for the migratory birds. Last year, an estimated 2,500 birds spent the winter comfortably there on arrival from a long travel to avoid extreme cold in the Himalayas and Siberian regions. But this year, the number of migratory birds in the JU campus has drastically decreased. According to some ornithologists, the number of migratory birds on the campus has almost halved this year compared to the last year.
The decrease in the numer of migratory birds might have taken place due to construction works and the dumping of garbage in the water bodies that has made life difficult for the birds. A large swathe of grassland has also been lost to construction drives on 14 spots, spanning at least 100 acres of greenery.
According to bird watchers, development activities have reduced the birds' habitats and the unrestricted use of fireworks' sound systems have made migratory birds feel scared and unsafe. Uncontrolled human activities have reportedly increased in 15 out of 29 water bodies on the campus. Programmes that create excessive noise, the rush of visitors to different places and the dismantling of security boundaries of the sanctuaries for migratory birds are the main causes behind the dwindling number of migratory birds inside the JU campus. Therefore, we urge the authorities concerned to make the campus safe and comfortable for the birds. This is equally important for the authorities to conserve lakes and water bodies to the benefits of the migratory birds.

Shahjahan Sirazi,
Malibagh, Dhaka,
[email protected]