Endangered species of owl rescued in Lohagara: two detained

Shahzada Minhaj, Lohagara (Chittagong): Police arrested two people along with an endangered species of owl during smuggling in Lohagara of Chittagong. The owl was recovered by raiding a passenger bus at Chunti Jangalia on the Chittagong-Cox's Bazar highway around 9 am on Saturday. The arrested are Mubin (30) of Comilla Devidwar Fatiabad area and Daudkandi of Pennai area. Mazharul (35). Both of them were sentenced to 1 year imprisonment and fined 10,000 taka by the mobile court. Upazila Nirbahi Officer Sharif Ulyah conducted the operation in the mobile court. Police OC Md. was present at the time. Atiqur Rahman, SI Md. Sajib Hossain, Chunti UP Chairman Zainal Abedin Janu, Chunti Wildlife Sanctuary Range Officer Md. Mahmud Hossain and Satgarh Beat Officer Shah Alam Howladar. Chunati Wildlife Sanctuary Range Officer Mahmud said the rescued animal was named Gibbon Ulluk. It mainly lives in the trunk of the tree, where it moves, eats and lives. The animal is a critically endangered species, gibbon owls are found in a handful of forested areas in Bangladesh, not everywhere. They live by eating fruits and insects. The animal will be taken to the Dullahazara Safari Park where they will be released into the wild where they live after the tests. Police Station OC Atiqur Rahman said, we had information that two young men were carrying an endangered species of owl in a passenger bus from Cox's Bazar's Chakria to Chittagong. On the way, I stopped the car at the mentioned area and managed to arrest the two people along with Ulluk. Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Sharif Ullah said, the arrested persons admitted that they were taking this rare species of owl for sale. According to section 34 (b) of the Wildlife Conservation and Safety Act, 2012, buying and selling and importing and exporting wild animals is a punishable offence. As the arrested persons confessed their crime in the mobile court, according to the law each of them was sentenced to one year imprisonment and a fine of 10,000 taka.