Rajshahi, Jan 17, (V7N) - The Forest Department of Rajshahi is searching for two vloggers who recently posted videos showing themselves eating a heron and a wild goose. The department has stated that preparations are underway to file a case against the vloggers, and once the case is filed, law enforcement will track them down.

One vlogger, named Al-Amin, shared a video on Facebook showing five herons, with a caption stating that a special roast would be prepared for guests. Another vlogger, Tuli, posted a video holding a wild goose and said that her father had caught the bird from a pond and that goose meat would be cooked.

These videos went viral on social media, prompting a local volunteer organization, Youth Action for Social Change (YASC), to submit a petition to Rajshahi's Divisional Commissioner, Khondkar Azim Ahmed, and District Commissioner, Afia Akhter, on January 13. YASC is urging authorities to take necessary actions for the protection of migratory birds and ensure that the vloggers face exemplary punishment.

In their petition, YASC's president, Shamiul Alim, and general secretary, Atikur Rahman, emphasized that the vloggers' actions encourage the illegal capture and slaughter of migratory birds, which violates the Wildlife (Conservation and Security) Act of 2012. According to the law, anyone found in possession of, selling, or transporting any migratory bird or parts of it can face up to six months in jail, a fine of up to 30,000 BDT, or both. Repeat offenders can face up to one year in prison or a fine of 50,000 BDT.

Shamiul Alim stated that the vloggers, Al-Amin and Tuli, must face swift and exemplary punishment. He also stressed the need for stricter enforcement of the law against bird poachers and the conservation of bird habitats in the city by reducing light and noise pollution.

Copies of the petition have been sent to the Director of the Wildlife Crime Control Unit, the Chief Forest Conservator, the Divisional Forest Officer of Rajshahi, and the Deputy Director of the Environment Department’s Rajshahi office.

In response, Jahangir Kabir, the wildlife inspector of the Rajshahi Forest Department, said, "We have seen the videos. We have not yet located them, but a case will be filed. Once the case is registered, the administration will track them down."

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