The way we treat migratory birds
Tuesday, 22 December 2009
We lose no chance to shout ourselves hoarse that we pride ourselves as great hosts to the guest birds that come from far, far away to spend the winter here. Wildlife preservation is a priority, we assert. And these migratory birds are a great sight in the water country's bodies, the rivers, khal, beel, haor, baor and so on, and a lot is printed and seen in the media. There is also a lot of talk about our taking care so that these birds are not harmed in anyway during their brief sojourn here.
But what is the reality on the ground? That reality is quite different from what we are led to believe, specially by the high sounding high-ups in the government, state machinery as well as in society. Our guest birds are being trapped and hunted by the thousands. In some places, there are even guest bird-hunting carnivals! And you can be sure that wherever this is happening is very well known to the law enforcers and the administration as well as the local leaders, including the local members of parliament. (Many or all of these august people may claim, "Oh, I had no idea and it is news to me too!" and we can forgive them for it because, after all, they do have oh-so-many-other-important-work to look after, not least the uplift and development and the forward going momentum of the country!).
The migratory birds are caught using chemicals (through doped fish and snails) that knock them out or are trapped by the use of nets. The birds are then sold openly and whoever can afford them buy them and eat them and that is that.
If we have a minimum of shame, then we should understand that people from outside Bangladesh are very well informed and they know exactly what is happening here with regards to the migratory birds. It is not enough to say, "Oh these are bad people who are doing it, we don't do it!" This predatory action by our fellow citizens must stop, otherwise the rest of the world are not going to take us seriously.
MA Hossain
Wari
Dhaka
But what is the reality on the ground? That reality is quite different from what we are led to believe, specially by the high sounding high-ups in the government, state machinery as well as in society. Our guest birds are being trapped and hunted by the thousands. In some places, there are even guest bird-hunting carnivals! And you can be sure that wherever this is happening is very well known to the law enforcers and the administration as well as the local leaders, including the local members of parliament. (Many or all of these august people may claim, "Oh, I had no idea and it is news to me too!" and we can forgive them for it because, after all, they do have oh-so-many-other-important-work to look after, not least the uplift and development and the forward going momentum of the country!).
The migratory birds are caught using chemicals (through doped fish and snails) that knock them out or are trapped by the use of nets. The birds are then sold openly and whoever can afford them buy them and eat them and that is that.
If we have a minimum of shame, then we should understand that people from outside Bangladesh are very well informed and they know exactly what is happening here with regards to the migratory birds. It is not enough to say, "Oh these are bad people who are doing it, we don't do it!" This predatory action by our fellow citizens must stop, otherwise the rest of the world are not going to take us seriously.
MA Hossain
Wari
Dhaka