The mini zoo at Meghla, a popular tourist spot in Bandarban, has been closed permanently on the order of a court, and its wild animals have been moved to Dulahazara Safari Park.

The zoo was shut and the animals moved on the afternoon of 16 April following an order by A S M Emran, judge of the Senior Judicial Magistrate's Court in Bandarban district.

Local sources said that after the verdict ordered all the animals to be handed over to Dulahazara Safari Park in Chattogram, two bears were moved today to carry out the order quickly.

For a long time the zoo had been displaying many rare and endangered wild animals — bears, porcupines, deer, jungle fowl, monkeys and snakes among them — without government approval. It had long been criticised on social media for inhumane treatment of the animals, inadequate food and a lack of veterinary care.

Wildlife and biodiversity conservation officer Nur Jahan Begum said: "On investigating on the spot we found this zoo has no approval. The animals were being kept in dark, cramped cages like the 'Aynaghar'. This is completely illegal." She added that such activity is a punishable offence under the Bangladesh Wildlife (Conservation and Security) Act 2012 (amended 2017).

Dr Hatem Sajjad Md Julkarnain, veterinary officer at Dulahazara Safari Park, said: "One of the bear's legs has swollen badly from a fungal infection. It is a sensitive condition, and the animal could die if it is not treated in time."

He said the animals will be kept under close observation, treated and gradually prepared to adapt to a natural environment. In the first phase, the two sick bears were tranquillised with injections and moved. The 13 barking deer will also be taken to the park later.

Ripon Tanchangya, a resident of Tanchangya Para in the Meghla area, said: "Five or six years ago there were many kinds of snakes, monkeys, pythons, pangolins and other wild animals here. The cages were so small that I saw the animals suffering on hot days. They were not fed properly either."

A N M Moazzem Riad, chairman of Save the Nature of Bangladesh, said: "The closure of this zoo and the freeing of the animals are the fruit of a long campaign. We had been speaking out against this injustice for a long time."

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.