Government committed to protecting tigers for future generations: Tuku
State Minister for Fisheries and Livestock Sultan Salahuddin Tuku, MP, has warned that tigers face a deeper crisis unless urgent action is taken, calling for greater public awareness and a conservation-minded younger generation to protect the endangered species.
He made the remarks after a rally at the Bangladesh National Zoo on Wednesday to mark World Tiger Day, according to a press release.
Highlighting the sharp decline in the global tiger population, the state minister said there were around 100,000 tigers worldwide a century ago, compared with approximately 5,000 now.
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"This statistic clearly shows how severely endangered the species has become," he said.
"If we do not take effective measures immediately and raise public awareness, this species will face an even deeper crisis in the future."
Citing figures for Bangladesh, Sultan Salahuddin Tuku said the Sundarbans currently had 124 tigers, with around 15 housed at the Bangladesh National Zoo and approximately 50 kept at zoos across the country.
Describing tigers as a national asset, the state minister reaffirmed the government's commitment to take the necessary measures to protect the species and help future generations understand its importance to biodiversity.
Responding to a question about budget allocations and transparency in the tiger census, he said the census fell under the jurisdiction of the Forest Department rather than the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock.
He said the Forest Department conducted the census transparently in accordance with its established procedures.
After the programme, the state minister inaugurated a gift shop at the Bangladesh National Zoo.
Md Delwar Hossain, Secretary to the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock; Md Shahzaman Khan, Director General of the Department of Livestock Services; Dr Md Shahinoor Alam, Director of the Bangladesh National Zoo; Dr Md Habibur Rahman, Curator; and Adnan Azad, Convenor of the Bangladesh Animal Welfare Association, attended the event.
Senior officials from the ministry, the department and the national zoo were also present.
