4 hornbill birds rescued in Ctg, 2 get 6 months

A mobile court sentenced two wildlife traffickers to six months in jail after four endangered hornbill birds were rescued from them in Chattogram's Banshkhali today.

Banshkhali Upazila Assistant Commissioner (Land) Mahmudul Hasan, who led the mobile court, handed down the punishment to Md Selim and Md Mizanur Rahaman, reports our Chattogram staff correspondent quoting police.

Police recovered the four birds after searching a CNG-run autorickshaw in Banshkhli's Gunagari market at around 12:30am. Later in the morning, the mobile court awarded the jail term to them.

Inspector Md Solaiman, in-charge of Ramdas Munshir Hat Police Outpost, told The Daily Star, "The endangered hornbills were being transported to Satkhira border from Cox's Bazar's Chakaria for smuggling to India. Acting on a tip-off, we intercepted the CNG and held the driver Selim."

"Based on Selim information, Mizan was held from Anwara in the early morning. The hornbills were caught from deep inside the forest in Ali Kadam in Bandarban. The rare birds were scheduled to be sold for Rs 8 lakh," said Solaiman.

The accused were sent to Chittagong jail, he said.

The hornbills were taken to the Chittagong Zoo.