The Forest Department's Wildlife Crime Control Unit (WCCU) detained a man in Chattogram today (2 July) while he was allegedly trying to sell eight wild birds.
The arrestee was identified as Md Nayeem Uddin, 28, a resident of Saizpara on Khaza Road under Chandgaon Police Station.
Confirming the matter, Dipanwita Bhattacharjee, wildlife and biodiversity conservation officer of the Chattogram Forest Department, told The Business Standard that their preliminary investigation indicates that the detainee is not a core member of an international wildlife trafficking network.
"Rather, he appears to be a local collector or agent who procured wildlife from local markets and supplied them to the next level of the trafficking chain," she said.
"We believe an international trafficking network is operating behind this, but the detainee is not a core member of that network. He appears to have worked as an agent linking local markets with the international network. We are trying to identify the entire network through the investigation," she added.
Bhattacharjee also said investigators are trying to identify the source of the birds, where they were collected, and others involved in the trafficking network based on information provided by the detainee.
Forest officials said their preliminary investigation suggests the suspect was not a key member of an international wildlife trafficking syndicate but rather a local collector or supplier.
According to a report submitted to the court by Wildlife Ranger Md Lutfur Parvez, the WCCU conducted a drive in front of Zaman Hotel in the city's Bahaddarhat area around noon, acting on a tip-off.
During the drive, officials detained Nayeem and recovered five common myna (Gracula religiosa) chicks and three green parrots (Psittacara holochlorus) from his possession, it stated.
The birds were seized and taken to the Forest Department along with the detainee after officials prepared a seizure list, the report mentioned.
During preliminary questioning, Nayeem told investigators that he had collected the birds from the city's Dewanhat area and brought them to Bahaddarhat to sell, it added.
According to the Forest Department, authorities have initiated proceedings under Sections 10 and 41(3) of the Wildlife (Conservation and Security) Act, 2026, and the detainee was produced before the Chattogram Forest Court today.
Wildlife Conservation / Chattagram / Bangladesh
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