A Forest Department drive in Kaptai, Rangamati, has recovered a baghair, a fish of an endangered species.

The 16kg fish was seized from the Jettyghat area of the upazila on the night of 27 April. After legal procedures, the Forest Department destroyed it and buried it.

A three-month government ban on fishing is currently in force in Kaptai Lake to allow fish to breed. Defying the ban, a fisherman caught the 16kg baghair in the Karnaphuli river. When the fish was brought to market to be sold secretly, a local trader named Md Liakat bought it at Tk 1,000 a kg, for Tk 16,000 in all.

Acting on a tip-off, the Forest Department raided the Jettyghat area under Kaptai range officer Mamunur Rahman and recovered the fish from the trader Liakat. It was about 4 feet long and weighed 16kg.

The Forest Department said the baghair is currently a "red-listed", critically endangered species in Bangladesh. Under the Wildlife (Conservation and Security) Act, catching, transporting, buying or selling this fish is completely banned.

On the instructions of S M Sajjad Hossain, divisional forest officer (DFO) of the Chittagong Hill Tracts South Forest Division, the recovered fish was cut up at about 9.30pm, mixed with kerosene and buried in the ground so that no one could use it.

Kaptai range officer Mamunur Rahman said such drives and strict surveillance would continue to enforce the government ban on fishing in the lake and to protect endangered wildlife.

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