About 500 ducks belonging to a farmer have died after eating poison bait laid by a gang of migratory bird poachers in Hakaluki Haor in Moulvibazar. The farm's owner has identified six poachers, and a case against them is being prepared at the police station.

On the night of Monday, 10 February, the poachers scattered poisoned bird feed in the Islampur area of the haor in Barlekha upazila. The next day, Tuesday, 11 February, about 500 ducks from the farm of Islam Uddin, a poor farmer of Islampur village, died after eating the poison.

Islam Uddin told Jago News that he had set up the duck farm with a loan from a non-government organisation. Every morning he let the ducks out on Polobhanga Beel in the haor and brought them back in the afternoon. When he went to fetch them on Tuesday afternoon, he found them lying dead, with only a handful still alive. He said he would file a case against the identified poachers.

Local people said migratory birds come to the various beels of Hakaluki Haor in winter, and poachers become reckless in killing them. Poachers are active on almost every beel. In the afternoon they scatter paddy mixed with poison on the beels. At night the migratory birds come to the banks looking for food, eat the poisoned paddy and die. The poachers then slaughter the dead birds and sell them in various markets.

Locals added that poachers operate in almost every part of the haor, but the most birds are hunted in the Islampur, Halla and Khutaura areas of Barlekha upazila.

Md Yasinul Haque, officer-in-charge (OC) of Barlekha police station, told Jago News that after receiving a verbal complaint, two sub-inspectors visited the scene on Tuesday to investigate. It has not yet been confirmed exactly how many ducks died. Legal action will be taken after investigation, he said.

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