232 wild animal hides seized in Dhaka; 2 jailed

A mobile court of Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) today seized 232 hides of different wild animals including leopard and fishing cat from a shop in Paribagh area of Dhaka.

The mobile court led by Rab’s Executive Magistrate Sarwoer Alam also seized 55 products made by the animal hides from the shop Crafts Corner in the DIT Super market and sentenced two brothers, owners of the shop, one-year imprisonment each for selling hides.

The hides include one leopard, one fishing cat, two monkeys, 227 monitor lizards and a wild cat while the products include two money bags and 21 bags made by snake hide, and 32 bags made by deer hide.

The court also fined the shop owners Tk 50,000 each, in default, they will have to suffer one more month in jail, said Sarwoer Alam, who led the drive.

Talking to The Daily Star, Sarwoer Alam said the shop owners collected the hides and products from brokers and poachers for selling.

The market price of one leopard is Tk 30 lakh, he said.