State Minister for Commu-nications Salahuddin Ahmad formally released 29 crocodiles at a large and well-protected reservoir of the 900-hectare park, about 107 kilometres off the Chittagong port city.

The crocodiles, 24 females and five males, were among the 40 freshwater carnivorous reptiles brought from the Crocodile Bank Trust of Madras in India on Friday night.

Five of the crocs were released at the Dhaka Zoo and six at tanks in Khan Jahan Ali Mazar in Bagerhat yesterday.

The government has launched an all-out plan to conserve the near-extinct wildlife, and the crocs were brought under that initiative, the state minister told reporters.

"We'll do everything to raise the standards of this beautiful safari park to an internationally recognised one. An extended project concept paper (PCP) has also been finalised to make the park more attractive," Salahuddin told the reporters.

The main objective of the park is breeding, rehabilitation and preservation of rare and near-extinct wildlife of the country.

The environment and forest ministry took an initiative in this regard in 2003 and sought assistance from the Indian government for collecting freshwater crocodiles.

Shamsur Rahman, conservator of wildlife management and nature conservation department, chaired the ceremony.

Conservator of Forests of Chittagong Region Abdul Motaleb, Safari Park Project Director Dr Tapan Kumar Dey and Divisional Forest Officer of Cox's Bazar Oboni Bhushan Thakur, among others, addressed on the occasion.