Forest department starts taking action against illegal pet-bird farms, shops

The forest department has started taking legal action against those who have been operating pet bird farms and shops without licenses.

As per the directives of adviser for environment, forest and climate change Syeda Rizwana Hasan, the offices of the divisional forest officer (Wildlife Management and Nature Conservation Wing, Dhaka) has already issued a notification on 20 August to pet bird shop owners to obtain licences on an urgent basis for setting up and operating pet bird shops.

According to the notification, no farmer can produce, rear, set up farms; buy, sell, import and export any pet-birds; or no one can operate pet-birds shops without obtaining licence as per the Pet-Birds Management Rules, 2020, said a press release of the ministry.

Setting up and operating farms and pet shops without obtaining a license is a punishable offence under the section of the Wildlife (Conservation and Security) Act, 2012. If any person violates the provision of the act, he or she will be punished with imprisonment up to one year or fine up to Tk 50,000 or both.

On 14 August, in an exchange meeting with the officials of the forest department, Rizwana Hasan instructed the forest department to take legal action against the existing irregularities in the bird market of Kataban in the capital.