Of them, 30 will be released in Dulahazra Safari Park in Cox's Bazar, and five each in the Dhaka Zoo and Khan Jahan Ali's mazar tank in Bagerhat the following day, sources said.

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"Presently, there are only four such crocodiles in the country, two each in Chittagong Zoo and Khan Jahan Ali's mazar in Bagerhat, and the four have long been suffering from old age complications," said Dr Tapan Kumar Dey, project director of the safari park.

Dr Tapan, who is also divisional forest officer (DFO) of Wildlife Management and Nature Preservation Department, said the main objective of the Safari Park is breeding, rehabilitation and preservation of rare and near-extinct wildlife of different areas of the country.

Forest and environment ministry took an initiative for this purpose in 2003 and sought assistance from the Indian government to collect freshwater crocodiles. "After this request, the Crocodile Bank Trust of Madras agreed to provide us the 40 crocodiles," Dr Tapan said, adding that 32 of the crocodiles are female and eight male.

Three species of crocodiles now found in the subcontinent are salinewater crocodiles (Crocodi lus palustris), freshwater crocodiles (Crocodi lus porosus) and gharial crocodiles (Gavialis gangeticus), he said.