Monpura, an isolated upazila of Bhola, is known as the "kingdom of deer". Tourists used to come here every year from all over the country to see the deer, but their numbers have now fallen, because deer are no longer seen as they once were. Because of unchecked hunting, deer are disappearing from Monpura.

Sources say graceful deer were once seen regularly in Monpura upazila. They roamed freely in the plantations of several areas, including Jonglar Khal, Badnar Char, Char Shamsuddin and Latar Char in Hajirhat union, Alam Bazar in North Sakuchia, Rahmanpur in South Sakuchia, and Dhalchar and Kalatali Char on Kalatali char.

Deer were seen not only in the forest but also running onto roads and into the yards of people's homes. Until a few years ago, tourists of all ages came from districts and upazilas across the country just to catch a glimpse of Monpura's deer with their own eyes. But because of the current menace of deer poachers, the forest's deer are on the verge of disappearing, and so fewer tourists come.

Md Kamal and Mosleuddin, residents of the Alam Bazar area in North Sakuchia union, told Jago News that even six or seven years ago there were plenty of deer in the forest in front of their bazar. Deer often came onto the road in herds and ran from one side to the other. People came from various districts to see them. But for several years no deer have been seen in that plantation, and they do not know whether any are left.

Farhad Sardar and Yusuf Mia, tourists from Munshiganj in Dhaka, said they had heard many stories about Monpura's deer, so this winter they came to Monpura with their families for two days. They enjoyed Monpura's natural beauty as they toured around, but in two days they did not see a single deer, and they were returning to Munshiganj disappointed.

Saikat Mahmud, a resident of Monpura union, and Lokman Hossain, a resident of South Sakuchia union, told Jago News: "The forest deer of Monpura upazila are on the verge of disappearing today, because the menace of deer poachers has grown a lot over the last seven or eight years."

They also said that under the previous Awami League government, when relatives visited the homes of influential leaders, they were served venison, and poachers hunted deer in the forest and took them to these leaders. That is how deer are now disappearing from Monpura, they said.

Md Sabuj of the Banglabazar area of South Sakuchia union said: "The number of deer poachers has increased. River erosion is shrinking the deer's habitat and the forest is being cleared. For these reasons deer are disappearing in the upazila."

Rashedul Hasan, Monpura range officer of the Forest Department, told Jago News that patrols are ongoing and they are taking a tough stance against deer poachers.

Ahsan Kabir, officer-in-charge (OC) of Monpura police station, said there are many forests all around the Monpura police station area where various species of deer live. The police are keeping strict watch to protect the forest's deer, he said.

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