Md Nur Alam Sheikh, a central committee member of the environmental organisation Dharitri Rokkhay Amra (Dhora), has said: "Thirty tigers have died in the past 25 years. Only 10 of them died naturally. Fourteen tigers were beaten to death by local people. We must resolve the tiger-human conflict and all become friends of the tiger."

He said this at a discussion titled "Save the Sundarbans, save the tiger" at Mongla Upazila Auditorium in Bagerhat on the morning of Tuesday, 29 July, marking World Tiger Day. The meeting was organised by Dharitri Rokkhay Amra (Dhora), Waterkeepers Bangladesh and Pashur River Waterkeeper.

Present were agriculturist Mohammad Shamimur Rahman Shamim, research affairs secretary of the BNP central committee; upazila social services officer S M Masud Rana; upazila press club president Ahsan Habib Hasan; and freedom fighter Sheikh Abu Hanif, among others.

Speakers said the Sundarbans, the tiger's habitat, must be saved from the impact of climate change and from pollution. Tigers are falling ill with various diseases and dying after drinking poisoned water. Those who poison the rivers and canals of the Sundarbans and those who traffic tigers must be stopped. If the Sundarbans survives, the tiger will survive, and coordinated initiatives and planning are needed to protect this threatened animal.

Speaking as a guest, Mohammad Shamimur Rahman Shamim said the tiger is a symbol of valour and courage. "The official logo of the national cricket team is the Bengal tiger. The tiger is our pride. If the Sundarbans survives, the tiger will survive."

Md Nur Alam Sheikh, coordinator of Pashur River Waterkeeper Sundarbans Rokkhay Amra, moderated the meeting. Afterwards, Mohammad Shamimur Rahman Shamim handed out prizes for a children's art competition on "Tigers of the Sundarbans".

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