Published on 12:00 AM, January 08, 2022

An early goodbye

For at least 35 years, Jahangirnagar University campus has served as a welcoming transit spot for migratory birds during winter. But owing to ill-mannered birdwatchers and noise pollution, they’ve started to leave the premises early this year, within the first week of January. This photo was taken from the Botanical Garden beside JU’s Joy Para Lake. Photo Courtesy: Auritra Sattar
JU Correspondent

They're gone, before they could even settle in.

Just a few days ago, a walk down the Jahangirnagar University campus would be filled with the buzzing and chirping of migratory birds, who have become regular visitors to the campus every winter.

But the university is no longer the green sanctuary it used to be. From reckless birdwatchers to sound pollution, a bunch of adversities have managed to rid the university grounds of the birds even before spring has come along.

Campus sources said thousands of ill-mannered visitors come to watch the birds everyday, who often throw rocks at the touring avians. Then there's the case of all the noise made by cars and battery-run rickshaws that ply inside and around the campus which makes the birds feel even more unsafe.

In reply to a query over why the birds are leaving this early, Dr Md Kamrul Hasan, professor at the zoology department of the university and wildlife conservation researcher, pointed out three reasons.

"The two major lakes of the university -- Transport Yard Lake and Joy Para Lake -- are the main junctions of the migratory birds. It's mainly the visitors of these two lakes, whose disturbance has shooed away the birds," he said.

"I have issued a letter to the registrar to restrict entrance of vehicles from the back of the lake for this season," he added.

"Another reason is the dilapidated state of the Joy Para Lake, which is filled with algae and garbage. Even though I have notified the estate office to clean the lake, but this wasn't done. As almost all of the lake's surface is covered with aquatic plants or rubbish, the birds have no place to sit."

"Another reason is the mindless violence of the visitors, especially those who throw stones at the birds. The area needs a security guard during peak hours to avoid this issue," Hasan said.

Contacted, JU Acting Registrar Rahima Kaneez said," We have received Prof Hasan's letter and we are taking steps. We have already restricted student's entrance from the backside of the transport yard. We have also imposed a restriction for outsiders from January 9 due to Covid-19 situation."

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