The New Nation - Internet Edition

BSS, Dhaka

There is yet some shocking news for the environmentalists and nature lovers that almost 50 species of country birds are under threat of extinction.

According to available statistics, around 10 species of birds have been extinct from Bangladesh since its inception in 1971.

Among over 600 species of birds including 400 indigenous and 200 migratory birds, about 50 rare species are under extreme threat of disappearance. Most critically threatened birds include white-backed vulture, 'Madan Tak', 'Raj Sakun; (vulture), 'Hargila' (adjutant stork), and huge-bodied white stork.

Noted birds specialist and President of Nature Conservation Committee (NCC) Shahjahan Sarder told BSS that he gathered the above shocking information on the threatened species of birds from his research pursuits for over two and a half decades.

Quoting statistics from the birds census, in the last two decades, about 200 species of migratory birds came to this picturesque Bangladesh having undisturbed water bodies, ponds and canals and forest and hilly sanctuaries for the guest birds. The number of such migratory birds were more that 250 species even in one century ago, he lamented.

Sarder said, of the migratory birds available in Bangladesh over 150 species are aquatic while the others are of different varieties. At present, there are at least 8,000 species of birds in the world.

Sardar said, because of its geographical location and phenomena, Bangladesh is an ideal place for the guest birds. The two main migratory global routes of the birds are crossed over Bangladesh that blessed the country with arrival of so many species of guest birds.

Majority of the migratory birds usually come to Bangladesh from Siberia through Central Asian migratory routes. Significant number of birds also come from East Asian and Australian countries. Besides, some guest birds also come to Bangladesh from nearby Vietnam, Thailand, India, Nepal and Myanmar.

The migratory birds stay in Bangladesh for certain time in forests as well as different water bodies. According to census conducted in 40 water bodies of the country over five lakh guest birds arrived in Bangladesh in the last two decades. Of them ,80 percent are aquatic species.

While urging for strict implementation of Migratory Birds Protection Act, Sarder said birds are not only good friends of the people but also very important ingredients of preservation of nature and environment.

"We are charmed with melodious and sweets songs and their echoes in the solitariness of our forests and meadows. Nonetheless, songs of birds are eternal tradition and heritage of our life", he added.

Lack of management of water bodies is also another major cause of declination in the number of birds species in the country, he said.

Stressing the need for creating public awareness for protection of country's bio- diversity, Sarder called for total halt of killing game birds, destructing forests and creating any disturbances to the birds sanctuaries.

He said that in the greater interest of protecting the bio- diversity, we have no alternative but to well manage our water bodies, especially in the districts of Sylhet, Sunamganj, Maulvibazar, Kishoreganj and Netrokona.

Besides, we have to protect our 600 -kilometre long coastal belts right from St, Martin to the Sunderbans.