The bird's name is Molly. She is 11 years old, a grey African macaw with a bright red tail. She was suddenly snatched in front of the Pani Bhaban in the capital's Panthapath, and spent two days in the snatcher's cage before police recovered her from the same area. The bird is worth about Tk 1.5 lakh.

Before the recovery, the bird's owner had sought help from Tejgaon police station and the headquarters of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP).

The family said Molly was bought for Tk 1 lakh 11 years ago, when she was just a few months old. They had cared for her lovingly ever since, and she became a member of the family. The bird can say many words to communicate with people.

Molly's birthday falls on 30 December, and the family was devastated to lose her before it. Police action brought smiles back within just two days, and the bird's owner, Anila, is overjoyed.

Asked about the incident, she said she had gone from Khilgaon to Panthapath on an errand with her mother and Molly. "On our way back by rickshaw, when we reached the Pani Bhaban, a boy grabbed the bird and ran off," she said.

"The bird was screaming, but the boy ran and hid. When we went to Ramna and Kalabagan police stations to complain, they said it was not their area. Then I went to Tejgaon police station and filed a complaint, and also asked DMP headquarters for help to recover the bird."

Anila said she broke down in tears after losing the bird. Along with contacting the police, she searched Katabon in case the snatcher sold Molly to a shop. "The bird does not go to anyone's hand but ours, and does not eat from anyone else either. I was very worried," she said. "Then on Monday night the police recovered the bird. The snatcher had kept her locked in a cage and had not given her anything to eat."

Alongside the police, the rescue was supported by Robinhood the Animal Rescue, an organisation that helps rescue animals and birds in distress.

Its director, Afzal Khan, said the victim called the national emergency service 999, which put them in touch with the organisation. "They came to me and said a bird had been snatched in the street. Our special unit then went to work, and the bird was recovered after about eight hours of effort. I was injured myself during the rescue operation," he said. He added that people who keep pets must be more careful, because a lost pet bird or animal is rarely found again.

Mohammad Mohsin, officer-in-charge (OC) of Tejgaon police station, said: "Within an hour of the victim coming to us, we recovered the bird and returned it to her. No one has been detained over the incident, however."

The OC said a boy was involved in the snatching and had been trying to sell the bird. "But sensing the presence of police, he dropped the bird and fled. We then recovered it," he said.

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