Forest adviser urges action against illegal pet bird shops

The Forest Department, under the guidance of Syeda Rizwana Hasan, adviser to the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change, is initiating legal action against those operating farms and pet bird shops without proper licenses.

In response, the Office of the Divisional Forest Officer, Wildlife Management and Nature Conservation Division in Dhaka, issued a notification on Tuesday, urging pet bird shop owners to obtain licenses urgently.

According to the notification, no individual or entity may produce, rear, establish farms, buy, sell, or engage in the import-export of pet birds without a license, as mandated by Rule 4 of the Pet Birds Management Rules, 2020.

Operating a farm or pet shop without a license is a punishable offence under the Wildlife (Conservation and Security) Act, 2012, with penalties including imprisonment for up to one year, a fine of up to Tk50,000, or both.

On August 14, during a meeting with Forest Department officials, the environment and forest adviser directed the department to take legal action against the existing irregularities in the bird market of Kataban in the capital.