Jhalakathi Correspondent:

A man who destroyed baya weaver nests and killed chicks has been arrested from Sadar upazila in Jhalakathi district, according to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.

Mobarak Ali Fakir, 70, was arrested from his residence at Guaton village under Shekherhat union in a police drive after the Forest Department filed a case over the incident.

The Forest Department filed a case against three people under the Wildlife (Conservation and Security) Act, 2012 with the Chief Judicial Magistrate’s Court in Jhalakathi.

Besides, a member of Shekherhat union parishad lodged a separate case with the relevant police station.

The incident took place on June 27 when some miscreants felled a palm tree on a government land beside a road despite warnings from some locals as the tree contained numerous baya weaver nests, eggs, and chicks.

Ignoring requests to spare the tree, they cut it down, leading to the destruction of 47 nests, 96 chicks, and 24 eggs, according to officials.

The Forest Department has already planted new palm saplings at the site and initiated awareness programmes to promote wildlife conservation at the community level.

Environment Secretary Dr. Farhina Ahmed said strict legal measures will be taken in the future against harming wildlife or destroying their habitats.