Four endangered Capped Langurs rescued, one arrested

The Wildlife Crime Control Unit (WCCU) of the Forest Department rescued four endangered Capped Langurs from Dhaka's Mirpur area on Friday evening.

The animals were transported to Chuadanga in a car, reportedly intended for smuggling to India.

The WCCU, along with officers from Shah Ali Police Station, also arrested a wildlife smuggler during the raid.

The operation took place near the Mukta Bangla Shopping Complex under Shah Ali Police Station following a tip-off about illegal wildlife trafficking.

Abdullah A Sadique, an inspector at WCCU, confirmed the rescue to The Business Standard, saying that the animals were found in poor condition, stuffed into two plastic sacks and an iron cage in the back of the vehicle. "Among the four langurs, one baby was found dead," he added.

Sadique said, "The driver, identified as Nazrul, 35, failed to provide documentation for the animals, claiming they were given to him by a man named Hadis Rahman, also known as Nirab, 32."

"Nazrul admitted he was transporting the animals to an undisclosed person in Chuadanga district and mentioned that smugglers often collect wildlife from the Alikadam area in Bandarban for illegal transport to India," Sadique added.

Nazrul is now in custody at Shah Ali Police Station, where a case has been filed. Authorities are working to arrest Hadis Rahman, a repeat offender with multiple wildlife trafficking cases against him.

According to the Bangladesh Wildlife (Conservation and Protection) Act of 2012, the Capped Langur is a protected species.

The Forest Department has pledged to strengthen its efforts to combat wildlife smuggling and has encouraged the public to report suspicious activities involving protected animals.