The Rajshahi forest department is searching for two vloggers after videos of them eating egrets and wild ducks were circulated. The vloggers, named Al-Amin and Tuli, recently posted videos of the birds on social media.

On Monday (13 January), after seeing the videos, Youth Action for Social Change (YAS), a Rajshahi volunteer organisation, submitted a memorandum demanding exemplary punishment for them and steps to protect migratory birds. The forest department began looking for them after that.

The memorandum, signed by YAS president Shamiul Alim and general secretary Atikur Rahman, was given to Rajshahi divisional commissioner Khondoker Azim Ahmed and deputy commissioner Afia Akhter. It demanded that Al-Amin and Tuli be punished.

The memorandum said: "Al-Amin and Tuli are openly encouraging people to catch migratory birds and to slaughter, roast and eat them, which is a clear violation of the Wildlife (Conservation and Security) Act 2012. Under this law, anyone who collects, possesses, buys, sells or transports any listed bird or migratory bird, or its trophy, incomplete trophy, meat or body parts, commits an offence and faces up to six months in prison, a fine of up to Tk 30,000, or both. For a repeat offence the penalty is up to one year in prison, a fine of up to Tk 50,000, or both."

The memorandum also demanded that exemplary punishment for the two vloggers be ensured as quickly as possible, that hunters of birds and migratory birds be brought to justice, and that bird habitats and roosting sites across the city be declared protected, with light and noise pollution there prevented.

Copies were also sent to the director of the Wildlife Crime Control Unit, the chief conservator of forests, the Rajshahi divisional forest officer and the deputy director of the Department of Environment's Rajshahi district office.

The two vloggers could not be reached despite several attempts by mobile phone.

Jahangir Kabir, wildlife inspector at the Rajshahi forest department, said: "We have found two videos. There are only the videos, with no names or addresses. We are investigating and have started searching for the vloggers. Legal action will be taken as soon as they are found."

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