PM Hopes The Tiger Range Countries Would Continue Efforts For Protecting Tigers

"I hope that the tiger range countries would keep their continued efforts for protecting tigers.... let us join hands to save the tigers and save the nature," she said.

"I want to assure you all that my government will do everything for protecting the tigers," she added.

The Prime Minister said this while inaugurating the Second Global Tiger Stocktaking Conference of the Tiger Range Countries and Global Tiger Initiative partners at Sonargaon Hotel here this morning.

She also said the tiger range countries will have to take steps reviewing their previous activities as well as renewing plans and implementation strategies.

"We are more than three years into the Global Tiger Recovery Programme... I believe we have arrived at a turning point to reach our desired goals of protecting tigers," she said.

Sheikh Hasina urged the world community to join hands in protecting the Sunderbans, the world's largest mangrove forest. "The tigers protect the Sunderbans, while the Sunderbans saves Bangladesh," she said.

Bangladesh Forest Department under the Ministry of Environment and Forests is organizing the three-day conference in cooperation with Global Tiger Initiative, Global Tiger Forum and development partners, including the World Bank aimed at saving the big cat from its extinction.

The main objective of the conference is to review the implementation plan under the Global Tiger Recovery Programme for the tiger inhabitant countries. The conference will adopt a Dhaka Recommendation for conservation of tigers across the globe.

With Chairperson of the function Environment and Forests Minister Anwar Hossain Manju in the chair, the function was addressed by Deputy Minister for Environment and Forests Abdullah Al Islam Jakob, Secretary of the ministry Md Nojibur Rahman, World Bank Country Director Johannes Zutt, Global Tiger Forum Secretary General Rajesh Gopal, Global Tiger Initiative Programme Manager Andrey V. Kushlin and Chief Conservator of Forests of Bangladesh Forest Department Md Yunus Ali.

At the function, Sheikh Hasina received a "token appreciation" from the organizers of the conference for her pivotal role in conservation of the big cats.

About 140 representatives from 20 countries, including the tiger range countries (TRCs), and donor agencies are participating in the conference.

The TRCs that are participating in the conference are Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Russia, Thailand, Vietnam and North Korea.

Noting that wild tigers have for centuries occupied a special place in the nature and culture of Asia, Sheikh Hasina said tiger has been declared as the national animal in many countries and it is a symbol of strength and courage.

The Prime Minister said unplanned human population growth, indiscriminate industrialization, destruction of forest and overall development pressure are causing depletion of the habitat of tigers.

At the same time, she said, illegal poaching and quizzing of its habitat make the tiger an endangered species.

Sheikh Hasina said during the last one century, the population of this spectacular animal has been reduced from over one hundred thousand to a mere 3,700 worldwide now.

"I hope that this conference would play a significant role in increasing tiger population, and conserving and ensuring secured life of this beautiful creature," she said.

The Prime Minister mentioned that the heads of government of tiger range countries, being the custodians of the last remaining tigers in the wild, gathered with the common goal of conservation of tigers at an International Tiger Forum in St. Petersburg, Russia in November 2010.

"We expressed our determination to strive to double the number of wild tigers across their range by 2022 on the basis of the tiger population in 2010. To reach this goal, we also endorsed an implementation mechanism," she said.

Sheikh Hasina said a nine-point action agenda was adopted at the Second Asian Ministerial Conference on Tiger Conservation in October 2012 in the Bhutanese capital of Thimpu.

In the conference, she said, the delegation heads of tiger range countries committed to enhancing collaboration in management of trans-boundary landscapes and corridors, combating illegal trade, and eliminating illicit demand.

The Prime Minister said an international workshop on trans-boundary conservation of tigers and other endangered species and strategy for combating illegal wildlife trade was held in Kunming of China in 2013.

Sheikh Hasina said the Sunderbans, the world's largest mangrove forest covering an area of 6017 square kilometers, in the southwest of Bangladesh is the habitat of the world famous Royal Bengal Tiger.

"The Royal Bengal Tiger is our national animal and it has been playing a pivotal role in protecting the Sunderbans. The existence of the Sunderbans will be at stake without the Royal Bengal Tigers," she said.

The Prime Minister said the Sunderbans, declared as a Natural World Heritage Site in 1997 by UNESCO, faces severe threats of global warming and sea level rise; climate change and cyclones; saline water intrusions and tidal surges.

"Moreover, encroachment of 1.2 million people and their livelihood off the forest have made tiger-human conflicts common," she said.

Stressing the need for saving the Sunderbans' colossal storage of biodiversity, besides the precious Royal Bengal Tiger, Sheikh Hasina said the world's largest mangrove forest is a unique place of natural beauty and biodiversity.

Highlighting her government's steps for conservation of the national animal, the Prime Minister said the government is implementing National Tiger Recovery Programme and Bangladesh Tiger Action Plan (2009-2017).

"We have also enacted 'The Wildlife (Conservation and Security) Act, 2012', and under this act, a tiger hunter or poacher is liable to be punished with 2-7 years imprisonment including fine up to Taka one million," she said.

With the assistance of World Bank, she said, a regional project titled "Strengthening Regional Co-operation for Wildlife Protection" covering Bangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal has been undertaken to strengthen wildlife protection, capacity-building and restoration of biodiversity in the region.

The Prime Minister said the crime control unit of the Forest Department is assisting the law enforcers in checking smuggling of wildlife, illegal trading and demonstration. "A Wildlife Rescue Centre has been established in Khulna to provide medicare to sick tigers," she said.

Sheikh Hasina said supported by Regional Wildlife Project, a camera trapping survey for estimation of tiger population in the Sunderbans is going on with the assistance of Wildlife Institute of India. "The result of the survey is likely to be available in December 2014," she said.

Following our steps, she said, there was no report of any tiger killing during the last two years. Earlier, on an average 3-4 tigers were killed every year. On the other hand, human casualties have been reduced to 4 from 25-30 a year.

-Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS)
Photo: Yeasin Kabir