Emphasis on sustainable solutions to protect marine biodiversity – ANM Moazzem Hossain.

By Adnan Mahfuz

The marine biodiversity of Bangladesh is not safe at all. This year about 20-21 dolphins, at least two whales and near to 100 marine tortillas was dead by the cause of human activities in the Bay of Bengal.

Though Sk. Hasina, the honorable Prime minister of Bangladesh and an environmentalist directed to the authority to save the marine lives and not to cause death any more dolphin or other marine beings, but concerned does not act as the prime minister directed.

ANM Moazzem Hossain, Chairman of “Save the Nature of Bangladesh, an environment-based Organization of Bangladesh” has posted on his Facebook Account about the biodiversity of the Bay of Bengal. And urged the Bangladesh Government to form an individual body with sufficient rescue equipment’s and doctors to look after the marine animals, including the rescue their lives by giving proper treatment when after getting injuries. He published the datewise the Dolphins and Whales that have died in the last six months in the country. Exactly the post he made is highlighted-

#Wild biodiversity of marine life deaths of whale and dolphins of the previous six months

1. On 14 January 2020: tourists saw a dead body of Baluga species whale of 40 feet long in the middle of the Teknaf-Saint Martin naval road.
2. On 22 February 2020: one dead dolphin was floating in the Bay of Bengal near the cemetery on St. Martin’s North Beach, Taknaf. It was buried jointly by local beach workers and the Department of the Environment (DOE) staff at Local office.
3. On 23 February 2020: one dead dolphin floating in the sea on the south side of the jetty of Taknaf. Then Beach workers and Department of the Environment workers buried it.
4. On 24 February 2020: A dead dolphin was floating on the sea in front of the St. Martin police outpost.
   When a local youth posted it on Facebook, the authorities came to know about it, and they buried it.
   At the same time, in the space of a few days, several employees of the Department of Marine Animals, including three more dolphins, were reported to have been put to the ground by various media outlets.
5. On 25 February 2020: A dolphin was buried on the west side of St. Martin’s Beach jointly by St. Martin’s Beach workers and DOE’s staff.
6. On 25 February 2020: Numerous dead turtles and two dolphins have been spotted due to contamination of oily spilling at Sonarpara Point on the Cox’s Bazar to Teknaf seabeach. Local fishermen said they also saw many dead dolphins and turtles floating in the sea.
7. On 3 March 2020: A dead dolphin was seen at Mankhali beach in Ukhia Upazila, which got injuries it’s head by a sharp weapon.
8. On 4 March 2020: A large huge dead dolphin floated on the beach of Shaplapur in Teknaf Upazila. It s believed that the dolphin died due to injuries on its head and tail.
9. On three arch, 2020: A dead dolphin was spotted floating in the sea at Inani Beach, opposite the Royal Tulip, with a few tourists with bruises on its head and abdomen and a rope barrier on its tail.
10. On 12 May 2020: A large huge dead dolphin of 11-feet-long found in floating in the Shafir Beel area of Ukhia Upazila on the Cox’s Bazar Teknaf Marine Drive road, which was buried by the employee’s DOE’s.
    Sharp weapon wounds marked the head and tail of this dolphin.
11. On 19 May 2020: The president of the umbrella market traders’ association confirmed the information that a wounded, dead dolphin was lying on the beach along with the umbrella market at Laboni Point on Cox’s Bazar beach.
12. On 20 May 2020: Votro and Sarwar, the Lifeguard worker at Cox’s Bazar Seabeach, saw a dead dolphin at Kalatali Point. It came up in several media reports, including Time News.
13. On 21 May 2020: A dead baby whale saw floating in the on the seawater below the TB booth point at Laboni Point, Cox’s Bazar.
14. On 26 June 2020: At around 9 am, a 12- to 15-foot-tall middle-aged bride whale was found dead on the beach at Gholar Char in the Teknaf Shahpari Island area, Cox’s Bazar.
15. On July 2020: One dead dolphin with her stomach injuries was found at Cox’s Bazar Sea Beach.
16. On 16 September 2019: An injured Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin was found floating on the shore at Darya Nagar parasailing point at cox’s Bazar. At around 10 pm, the forest department buried it on the ground.
17. In 2020 more than five dolphins and one whale was death caused injuries at different times in St. Martin, but no media in the country may have published it due to some particular ban.
    18. About 50 mother tortoises dead bodies were found dead at different times at 120 km. Cox’ Bazar – Taknaf seabeach at this time, which did not bring the list to belong.

Moreover, we received reports of 10 more dolphin deaths at the same time in different parts of the beaches of Teknaf, Ukhia, Matarbari, Kutubdia Upazila, and St. Martin. Still, it was not possible to collect data due to the lockdown.

At least we need containment for the marine biodiversity.

There are no rescue teams in Cox’s Bazar and no modern medical equipment to rescue the injured marine animals that have rushed to the coast to survive in the Bay of Bengal. And for this have to force the forest department through environmental workers or the media. Because according to the Bangladesh Wildlife Conservation Act of 2012, the forest department is given the responsibility to protect 12 marine animals, including dolphins.

But why or how will the forest department protect marine biodiversity? They have no rescue team, no formal education in marine science, and no equipment and doctors equipped with modern technology.

Their job may be to protect forests and forest wildlife, how is it possible to protect marine biodiversity with them!

Will they be criticized by the media and environmentalists day after day because the government’s policymakers ignorantly imposed a burden on them? We will find fault with each other, but it does not seem to be a solution at all.

Therefore, the marine Biodiversity Conservation Policy should be formulated under the supervision of an autonomous body for the protection of marine biodiversity, and the wildlife Conservation Act of 2012 should be amended.

From

A.N.M Moazzem Hossain
Chairman,
Save The Nature of Bangladesh,
Cell Phone: 01711-701017