The forest department has written to the Moulvibazar Palli Bidyut Samity (rural electricity society), instructing it to fit insulating covers on power lines running through forest areas so that wild animals can move about safely. The letter was recently sent to the society's general manager.

A 33,000 KV Palli Bidyut grid line has been installed through the forest of Lawachara National Park in the district's Kamalganj upazila. This has put the forest's mammals at risk, and five wild animals have died in the past three months.

According to the letter, the Lawachara forest is the habitat and breeding ground of 167 species of trees, 246 species of birds, 20 species of mammals, 59 species of reptiles, 29 species of snakes, 18 species of lizards, two species of turtles and 22 species of amphibians, along with many rare and endangered wildlife species. Because the 33,000 KV high-voltage lines inside and around Lawachara have no covering, mammals including hoolock gibbons, capped langurs, Phayre's langurs and slow lorises, as well as other animals, are injured and killed every month when they get caught in the wires and are electrocuted.

According to the forest department, five rare and endangered wild animals have died after getting caught in power lines in the past three months. Unless they are protected now, there is a fear that these animals will disappear from the forest.

Md Ziaur Rahman, general manager of the Moulvibazar Palli Bidyut Samity, confirmed receiving the letter and said the necessary steps would be taken.

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