Two people imprisoned for killing a wild animal porcupine
By Amila Khan
Bangladesh News: Two people have been jailed for killing an almost endangered wild animal, porcupine in Baralekha of Moulvibazar, and seven others have been fined for cooperating in the killing.
The sentence was handed down by a mobile court at Bazarichhara of Madhabkunda Ecopark at night on November 14, 2020. MD Shamim Al Imran, the Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO), and Executive Magistrate ran the mobile court.
According to mobile court and local sources, an almost extinct porcupine was killed in the Madhabkunda Ecopark area last evening. In this case, people from the forest department detained nine people. The UNO went to the spot after receiving the news.
The detainees there confessed to the mobile court about the killing of the porcupine. The court then sentenced Subal Bhumija (25) and Jag Rabichandra (25), who belong to the Kechrigul area of the Upazila, to one month’s imprisonment without labor Wildlife Conservation Act-2012 for their direct involvement in the killing of the porcupine.
And the crime of helping in the killing of porcupine Ukil Santal (35), Budhu Santal (26), Umesh Santal (30), Ramesh Santal (32), Kartik Santal (35), Ram Santal (30), and Krishna Santal (35), each has been fined Taka 10,000 a total of Taka 70 thousand is fined. The two convicts were sent to the district jail at night on November 14, 2020.
Shekhar Ranjan Das told the Prothom Alo that they had found only one porcupine after the arrest. UNO later punished them by conducting a mobile court.
On the other hand, the mobile court has directed the Department of Environment’s assistant director to file a case against a man named Fakhrul Islam for cutting down a hill in the Kechrigul area of Dakshinbhag Uttar Union in the Upazila.
They were confirming punishment the UNO and Executive Magistrate Md. Shamim Al Imran said, ‘Hills and wildlife are an integral part of our nature. Regular operations will be conducted to protect them.’
