More than 700 birds rescued in Bagerhat

More than 700 birds of Sturnidae species, known as Shalik, were on Sunday freed by police after they were rescued from a cowshed at Mollahat in Bagerhat.

Tipped off, police raided Kaka Mia's house at Rajpat village in Mollahat on Saturday night and found the birds kept in nets, reports UNB.

Police could not arrest anyone involved the hunter who fled the scene, said Soumen Das, officer-in-charge (OC) of Mollahat police station.

Several nets for hunting birds were also seized during the drive.

The son-in-law of Kaka Mia is a bird hunter who catches them for sale, the OC said. However, the OC could not name him.

Soumen also said that Kaka Mia's son-in-law hunted those birds a week ago by setting traps in the area’s canals and beels (wet lands).

Earlier in November last year, Mollahat Upazila administration conducted drives three times in the area and rescued 70 migratory birds of different species. During this time, a large number of traps used for bird hunting and equipment were seized and two bird hunters were arrested.