Criminal cases to be filed for zebra deaths

The ministry of environment, forest and climate change yesterday decided to lodge criminal cases against those involved with the death of 11 zebras at the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Safari Park in recent weeks.

The development comes after the probe committee formed by the ministry on January 26 following the deaths of the animals submitted its 18-page report on Sunday.

The probe found the employees of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Safari Park tore open the bellies of three dead zebras with a sharp weapon to pass off their death to injury.

As many as eight zebras died in the safari park last month, but the park officials tried to conceal the matter from Mostafa Kamal, the secretary of the ministry, when he called in on January 22.

"So it shows that they were trying to hide the incidents of death of zebras," the report said, while calling for further investigation on the matter.

The probe committee also found negligence in duty on the part of the in-charge of the safari park as he did not form any medical board when the zebras started dying towards the end of December last year though he is empowered to do that if necessary.

Also at the meeting yesterday, it was decided that departmental cases will be filed against the officials responsible for the death of animals.

The meeting also decided to implement all recommendations made by the probe committee in phases.

To improve the operation quality and protect the animals from unnatural deaths, the probe committee gave 24 recommendations: 11 are to be implemented in the short-term, four in the mid-term and nine in the long-term.

Earlier, the probe committee members said the 11 zebras died from nitrate poisoning.