The forest department with the help of Rapid Action Battalion yesterday rescued 30 wild birds and two rhesus monkeys from a weekly bird market, which sits every Sunday, in Tongi of Gazipur.

Trader Golap Hossain was fined Tk 20,000 for keeping those illegally, said Asim Mallick, wildlife inspector of the forest department in Dhaka.

Firoz Ahmed, magistrate of Rab, fined him after taking him to the department of forest office.

The birds include 12 rose-ringed parakeets, one red-breasted parakeet, five eurasian collared doves, three emerald doves, two spotted doves and five tricoloured munias and two turtle doves. Besides, the wildlife team also rescued two rhesus monkeys caged in the market for sale.

“We have kept the birds and animals at our office. We are going to release them into the Bhawal National Park tomorrow [today],” said Asim.

According to the Bangladesh Wildlife (Protection and Safety) Act, 2012, trapping, selling, buying, consuming or caging wild birds is a punishable offence.