Botanical Garden: From bird haven to haven for bird thieves | The Business Standard
Skip to main content
  • Latest
  • Economy
    • Banking
    • Stocks
    • Industry
    • Analysis
    • Bazaar
    • RMG
    • Corporates
    • Aviation
  • Videos
    • TBS Today
    • TBS Stories
    • TBS World
    • News of the day
    • TBS Programs
    • Podcast
    • Editor's Pick
  • World+Biz
  • Features
    • Panorama
    • The Big Picture
    • Pursuit
    • Habitat
    • Thoughts
    • Splash
    • Mode
    • Tech
    • Explorer
    • Brands
    • In Focus
    • Book Review
    • Earth
    • Food
    • Luxury
    • Wheels
  • More
    • Sports
    • TBS Graduates
    • Bangladesh
    • Supplement
    • Infograph
    • Archive
    • Gallery
    • Long Read
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Magazine
    • Climate Change
    • Health
    • Cartoons
  • বাংলা
The Business Standard

Botanical Garden: From bird haven to haven for bird thieves

Independent birdwatchers and wildlife conservators have found thieves, living near the botanical garden area, stealing bird chicks from nests to run an illegal trade
Botanical Garden: From bird haven to haven for bird thieves

Panorama

Sadiqur Rahman
16 April, 2023, 10:00 am
Last modified: 16 April, 2023, 11:15 am

Related News

  • The hidden cost of 'development' in the Botanical Garden
  • Hundreds of birds burnt in Jhenaidah shop fire
  • 3 arrested with 697 slaughtered birds in Chattogram
  • 1,200 trapped birds rescued, freed in Bagerhat
  • Large influx of migratory birds enhances scenic charm of Ramrai Dighi in Thakurgaon

Botanical Garden: From bird haven to haven for bird thieves

Independent birdwatchers and wildlife conservators have found thieves, living near the botanical garden area, stealing bird chicks from nests to run an illegal trade

Sadiqur Rahman
16 April, 2023, 10:00 am
Last modified: 16 April, 2023, 11:15 am

Inside the National Botanical Garden in Dhaka, you are greeted by the incessant yet intriguing calls and songs of numerous birds. 

Flitting from one branch to another, the birds look majestic, silhouetted against the midday sun whose rays pierce the thin, leafy canopy of the trees to caress the uneven walkway. 

At times, the nesting birds, frightened by the feeling of being watched, hide away in tree hollows.

The Business Standard Google News Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel

The 208-acre botanical garden housing about 80,000 plants - a jungle of shrubs, bushes and tall trees, both indigenous and exotic - seems like an ideal habitat for the birds to thrive. 

But it was not, especially for birds that mate and breed in the tree hollows. Recently, some independent birdwatchers and wildlife conservators have raised a serious concern that thieves, living nearby the botanical garden area, steal nestlings from their parents to run an illegal trade supported by unscrupulous garden staff.

Photo: Sifat Sharker
Photo: Sifat Sharker

Several studies suggest that the botanical garden houses about 80,000 plants of 1,041 species and a total of 65 species of birds, along with some other wild animals such as jackal, squirrel, pangolin, monitor lizard and snake.

Recently, one wildlife photographer Nafis Ameen raised the issue on his Facebook handle, saying that his team had first noticed the theft of parakeet chicks last year when they found tree branches and sticks implanted in some tree hollows, which they had noticed earlier were bird nests.   

"We assumed the thieves block all the exit routes, except one by the branches. They drive away the mother bird that way. Then they cut open the entrance of the hollow and pick up the hatchlings," Nafis told The Business Standard.

Nafis and his team of photography students decided to monitor the tree hollows the next season, covering the mating and breeding periods. 

From January this year, they frequented the garden and took photos of the birds' nests - the hollows - a part of keeping records.  

Suddenly in the first week of April, they found many hollows cut open with empty nests inside. 

Recently, this correspondent visited the botanical garden to look into the issue. 

Accompanying the correspondent, Maimon Sajib and Shifat Sarker, two students of Nafis, pointed to the damaged hollows of two teak trunks. 

"In January, I took photos of mating parakeets perched on the openings of the hollows. We all hoped the mother birds had laid eggs and the hatchlings were growing big, day by day. But they are stolen now," an aggrieved Shifat said.

The young conservator was especially aggrieved that such a wildlife crime was happening in a place like the botanical garden, supposedly a safe haven for flora and fauna. 

"Climbing more than 20 feet, planting sticks or branches inside the hollows and then stealing chicks is not something common visitors can just pull off. This is a challenging and time-consuming task. Obviously, this is being done by experienced poachers who have good relations with the garden staff," Nafis said. 
 
We were roaming around the garden, searching for other tree hollows and bird nests. 

Photo: Saqlain Rizve

At one point, two local teenagers appeared. Nayeem and Robiul are-both school dropouts. Nayeem works as a conductor with a human hauler, as a part-timer. For the rest of his day, he passes time with Robiul and other friends of the same age at the garden. 

We approached them, disguised as potential buyers of chicks. It did not take us long to convince the poor teenagers.

Robiul said, "Not all the chicks are suitable as pets. If you take chicks of Bhat Shalik (Common myna) or parakeets, you can groom them up as talking birds." 

"I am a novice. How would I find chicks and how can I take care of them? They will die," this correspondent asked them.

Like an expert, Robiul assured me that I would not have to worry about the chicks. 

"We collect the hatchlings and take care of them until they grow to be nestlings, and even as fledglings. We can feed the chicks with the help of a syringe," Robiul said. 

When we enquired about the price and the route to transport the consignment outside the garden, Nayeem said, "We take whatever amount of money a buyer pays happily. If you buy the chicks, we will deliver them to you outside the garden. Don't worry." 

We told him we were not prepared to purchase chicks right at that moment and Nayeem shared his contact number for a future deal. 

Photo: Saqlain Rizve
Photo: Saqlain Rizve

The teenagers have profound knowledge about the mating and breeding periods of different birds. 

This illegal trade of bird chicks is not very profitable. But some local teenagers do this to momentarily profit off the thirst of certain buyers who cherish owning talking birds. In most cases, the stolen chicks do not survive. 

However, wildlife theft from the 'protected' National Botanical Garden is indeed a matter of serious concern. 

When asked, security guards at the garden denied their involvement in the illegal trade.

Deputy Conservator of Forest, Mahmuda Roksena Sultana, also the director of National Botanical Garden, said she has been deployed in her post very recently. 

"It is my responsibility to check any kind of wildlife related crimes in the garden. I will investigate the matter and stop it for sure," Mahmuda said.

Features / Top News

Botanical garden / Birds

Comments

While most comments will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive, moderation decisions are subjective. Published comments are readers’ own views and The Business Standard does not endorse any of the readers’ comments.

Top Stories

  • Infographics: TBS
    Lengthy legal road ahead to repatriate Saifuzzaman's wealth from UK
  • From fact-checker to fact-checked: CA Press Wing’s turn in the hot seat
    From fact-checker to fact-checked: CA Press Wing’s turn in the hot seat
  • Wreckage of a Boeing 787 Dreamliner showing part of its registration "VT-ANB" in Ahmedabad, India, June 12, 2025. REUTERS/Amit Dave
    Air India Dreamliner crashes into Ahmedabad college hostel, kills over 290

MOST VIEWED

  • Keir Starmer declines to meet CA Yunus: FT report
    Keir Starmer declines to meet CA Yunus: FT report
  • Wreckage of a Boeing 787 Dreamliner showing part of its registration "VT-ANB" in Ahmedabad, India, June 12, 2025. REUTERS/Amit Dave
    Air India Dreamliner crashes into Ahmedabad college hostel, kills over 290
  • Saifuzzaman Chowdhury. Photo: Collected
    UK crime agency now freezes assets of ex-land minister Saifuzzaman: AJ
  • File Photo of Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus: UNB
    Prof Yunus to receive Harmony Award from King Charles today
  • Infofgraphics: TBS
    DGHS issues 11-point directive to prevent spread of Covid-19 in Bangladesh
  • Bangladesh Bank Governor Ahsan H Mansur. TBS Sketch
    Bangladesh mulls settlements with tycoons over offshore wealth: BB governor tells FT

Related News

  • The hidden cost of 'development' in the Botanical Garden
  • Hundreds of birds burnt in Jhenaidah shop fire
  • 3 arrested with 697 slaughtered birds in Chattogram
  • 1,200 trapped birds rescued, freed in Bagerhat
  • Large influx of migratory birds enhances scenic charm of Ramrai Dighi in Thakurgaon

Features

Among pet birds in the country, lovebirds are the most common, and they are also the most numerous in the haat. Photo: Junayet Rashel

Where feathers meet fortune: How a small pigeon stall became Dhaka’s premiere bird market

1d | Panorama
Illustration: Duniya Jahan/ TBS

Forget Katy Perry, here’s Bangladesh’s Ruthba Yasmin shooting for the moon

2d | Features
File photo of Eid holidaymakers returning to the capital from their country homes/Rajib Dhar

Dhaka: The city we never want to return to, but always do

3d | Features
Photo collage shows political posters in Bagerhat. Photos: Jannatul Naym Pieal

From Sheikh Dynasty to sibling rivalry: Bagerhat signals a turning tide in local politics

5d | Bangladesh

More Videos from TBS

Banks' estimates were wrong: Bangladesh Bank spokesperson

Banks' estimates were wrong: Bangladesh Bank spokesperson

6h | Podcast
What exactly happened to the ill-fated Boeing aircraft?

What exactly happened to the ill-fated Boeing aircraft?

7h | TBS World
Govt to set up Debt Office as loan burden to hit Tk29 lakh cr by FY28

Govt to set up Debt Office as loan burden to hit Tk29 lakh cr by FY28

8h | TBS Insight
Curfew imposed for second night in Los Angeles

Curfew imposed for second night in Los Angeles

8h | TBS World
The Business Standard
Top
  • Home
  • Entertainment
  • Sports
  • About Us
  • Bangladesh
  • International
  • Privacy Policy
  • Comment Policy
  • Contact Us
  • Economy
  • Sitemap
  • RSS

Contact Us

The Business Standard

Main Office -4/A, Eskaton Garden, Dhaka- 1000

Phone: +8801847 416158 - 59

Send Opinion articles to - oped.tbs@gmail.com

For advertisement- sales@tbsnews.net

Copyright © 2025 THE BUSINESS STANDARD All rights reserved. Technical Partner: RSI Lab