Honey collector goes missing following tiger attack in Sundarbans
A honey collector has gone missing following a tiger attack at the Satkhira range of the Sundarbans.
The victim, Montu Gazi, 52, son of Sabud Ali Ghazi hailed from Chakbara village of Gabura union.
Speaking with The Business Standard on Saturday (22 April), Ruhul Amin Mali, a fellow honey collector, said he along with Montu and 18 others entered Sundarbans to collect honey on two boats on 1 April.
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He claimed that Border Security Force (BSF) had seized their boats after the group entered the Indian side of the mangrove forest on 16 April.
"Then we came back to the Bangladesh side of the forest using makeshift boats. On the night of 19 April, when we were taking a nap as a result of exhaustion, all of a sudden we woke up hearing the roar of a tiger near the Talpatti area of the forest.
"Scared, we ran for our lives. At one point we realised that Montu was not with us anymore. We saw tiger footprints. We returned home without him as we believe he was taken alive and killed by the tiger."
Gabura Union Parisha Chraiman Aziar Rahman, said, "Total 19 honey collectors returned home. One is still missing."
Contacted, Burigoalini Forest Station Officer of West Sundarbans Satkhira Range of Forest Department Noor Alam said, "We are yet to be notified about the incident."
