In 3 Years, 27 Dead Dolphins recovered from the Halda River
By Adnan Mahfuz
Bangladesh: A dead dolphin found on March 21 in the Azim Ghat area of Ward No. 1 of West Gujra Union in the Raozan section of the Halda River by one of the natural fish breeding grounds subcontinents. On May 8, an adult female dolphin got from a shady place in the Zia Bazar area of Urkirchar Union.
Last Tuesday, the 27th dead dolphin recovered from the Ghat area of Raozan on the Halda River. The dolphin has cuts and bruises along the middle of the body and on the tail. It was 48 inches long and 30 kgs in weight.
According to a survey conducted in September 2017, there were 170 dolphins in the Halda River. As of last Tuesday, 27th dead dolphin had recovered; most of them died in the meantime.
Thus one dolphin after another is being killed. The number of dolphins is decreasing day by day. Surviving dolphins are under threat, and biodiversity is in danger.
Experts believe the hacked dolphin recovered on Tuesday. It could have died three days before recovered. The recovered dead dolphins were later buried by officials of the Upazila Fisheries Department and Wildlife Management and Nature Conservation Department at night.
Manjurul Kibria, Professor of Zoology, Chattagram University, and Halda River Research Laboratory Coordinator, said, “The number of dolphins decreases. The fact that a dead dolphin floated in the Halda River is an extreme sign for us almost all the time. Almost every recovered dead dolphin has scars on its body. ‘
Mohammad Ruhul Amin, Hathazari Upazila Nirbahi Officer, said, “In the last two years, 135 operations have been conducted day and night.” During the operation, nine dredgers and 27 engine-driven boats used for sand extraction were destroyed by this time, and three people were sent to Jail. Yet the vulture vision of some greedy, dishonest people is not stopping.
Dolphins, the reservoir of natural biodiversity, are being killed. I don’t know when their good intellect will emerge.”
Junaid Kabir Sohag, Raozan Upazila Nirbahi Officer, said, “Operations conducted at least three times a week to protect the dolphins and the Halda River, one of the most important natural habitats.”
Moreover, sand extraction and engine-driven boats have stopped. We are determined to protect the Halda River and the dolphins through our best efforts. “
It knows that the dolphins found in the Halda river are of the Gangetic dolphin species. In English, it is called the Ganges River Dolphin; the scientific name is Platanista genetic. Locally it is called Hutum or Shushuk.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has listed Gangetic dolphins as endangered. These species protected under Schedule 1 of the Bangladesh Wildlife (Conservation and Security) Act, 2012. This dolphin species found in most of the rivers of Bangladesh, Ganges, and Brahmaputra in India.
