A police raid at a Boishakhi fair in Chattogram’s Halishahar uncovered an illegal wildlife display, leading to the rescue of three snakes and a parrot on Thursday (23 April).
The operation was carried out by Halishahar Police Station, with support from a volunteer wildlife rescue team, following a request from the Forest Department’s Wildlife and Biodiversity Conservation Division, Siddiqur Rahman Rabbi, head of the rescue team told The Business Standard.
Rabbi said the illegal exhibition had been running for two days in violation of the Wildlife (Conservation and Security) Act, 2026, which prohibits the possession and display of wildlife and carries a maximum penalty of three years’ imprisonment, a fine of Tk3 lakh, or both.
“We initially faced obstruction and harassment from the super shop authorities when we attempted to enter the fair, where snake charming, monkey dancing, and parrot displays were being staged under the guise of cultural entertainment,” he said.
“After the situation was brought under control, we were able to rescue the animals,” he added.
During the raid, law enforcers and rescue team members recovered three snakes and a parrot from the venue. However, the monkey used in the show had been removed before it could be seized, Rabbi said.
Among the rescued reptiles were a venomous monocled cobra and two non-venomous rat snakes, one of which was found dead, while the parrot was recovered with both wings broken.
Officer-in-Charge of Halishahar Police Station Pranab Chowdhury told TBS an initial mobile team had been deployed but faced obstruction due to insufficient personnel.
“I later led the operation myself, and we successfully recovered the animals,” he said.
He added that the super shop authorities claimed they were unaware of the newly enacted law and expressed regret, though legal action may still be taken by the Forest Department.
Wildlife and Biodiversity Conservation Officer Dipanwita Bhattacharjee told TBS that her team had been on an inspection in the Banshkhali range at the time, prompting her to request police assistance.
She said a volunteer rescue team was also deployed for the operation.
She added that although the law clearly criminalises the display of wildlife, public awareness remains low, and such operations are often aimed at both enforcement and education.
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