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Int’l smugglers engaged in illegal trading of ivory, elephant bones
CHITTAGONG, May 28: An is allegedly enga^d In lltega’l trading of Ivory and elephant bones tn Bangladesh and a number of wild elephants were kilted In Bandarban and Cox's Bazar forest areas during the past months, reports BSS
A well Informed source connected with Wild Life Preservation and Nature Conservation Society told BSS today that the Ivory smugglers group had been operating In Chakkirani forest and of Bara hattya under Lohagara upazlla and Dulahazara forest of Cox’s Bazar for quite some time and the group had already sue ceeded tn thetr illegal trade.
The source mentioned that four wild elephants were shot at in the Chakkln.nl forest recently of whom one died and three others fled away. The killers extracted Ivory from the dead elephant Some elephants were also shot and kilted tn Dulahazara forest re-
cently.
One kilogram of Ivory sells st Taka 4000 white one kg of bones sells at Taka 2000 to rally the source said.
The source said the smug gters group and Its local ai> complices are very powerful and they even went to the extent of threatening the informed sources with dire con sequences if their Illegal ete phant hunting was divulged to the appropriate authority. The Ivory smugglers maintain Hnk with some smugglers tn Hong Kong. Some fishing trawlers tn the Bay of Bengal are allegedly engaged In transport Ing the Ivory and bones from Bangladesh to their destinations
The source said some for est officials are aware of the Illegal killing of elephants In Dulahazara and Chakkirani forests, but they dared not Io take any action against the 11 legal elephant hunters
According to Wild Life
Preservation Act-1974, elephant kilters can be jailed for seven ^rearaasith a fine of Taka
The source said the tvory smugglers and their accomplices had been operating in Chunatl. Harbang. Chakkirani. and Dulahazara forest areas but the concerned authority had remained as silent ob servers The elephant hunters reportedly used guns and rt ffes white killing the elephanta. The tvory smugglers, the source alleged. were also Involved in Illegal heroin ana cocaine trades in those areas
Blaming the concerned of flclals the source repented that Chunatl Wild Life Sanctuary covering an area of 19,177 acres land was gradually destroyed by a group of unscrupulous people by cutting trees, bamboos etc. and hunting deer, serrow (wild gnat). wild foul, black cat and other wild animals and birds. Dochalla range in the sane
tuary wa gradually deforested peopfoThTi•ourceHaddcd^^^*
The Chunatl Wild Life Sanctuary established In 1986 is not taken necessary care and Its destruction rate to ^TT^hrrl^*"1^ **
There are 20 to 50 ele phants in the sanctuary but these elephants do not find their food as bamboos are Indiscriminately extracted Elephants prefer eating bamboo plants The elephants are leaving the sanctuary because of the fear from the hunters as well as shortage of food. nay. other wild animals and birds are leaving the sanctuary be cause of constant disturbances by hunters and illegal timber exlracters.
The source was of the opinion that if legal actions were not taken against ete phant killers immediately they would go on killing elephants-