Country bans air rifles to protect vulnerable birds

Dhaka: Bangladesh government banned sale and use of air rifles in the country. The decision was taken to stop poachers killing vulnerable wildlife, including flocks of migratory birds that fly all the way from Siberia.

The wildlife conservation authority in the country said that air rifles had been responsible for huge numbers of bird deaths in the country, including flocks migrating southwards each year from Russia. Wildlife hunting was outlawed in Bangladesh more than three decades ago. But air guns are common in villages in the country.

Also Read: Gulf country ban holding marriage and funeral in mosques and public places 

Around a dozen wild avian species are close to extinction in Bangladesh.