Sylhet restaurant fined for serving wild bird meat

A restaurant in Jaintiapur upazila of Sylhet has been fined Tk10,000 for serving wild bird meat to the customers. 

Wildlife Management and Nature Conservation Department, Moulvibazar led by Jaintapur Upazila Assistant Commissioner (land) Ripamoni Devi conducted a mobile court drive at Taru Mia Restaurant on Sunday afternoon. 

During the drive, restaurant staff Wahid Mia claimed that they were serving duck and koel meats only. However, a video footage captured by the environment activists showed that the restaurant was serving wild birds' meat.

According to locals, Taru Mia Restaurant has been selling wild bird meat for last 33 years. The restaurant owner was earlier fined several times for the offence. 

Mirza Mehedi Sarwar, wildlife and biodiversity conservation officer of Wildlife Management and Nature Conservation Department in Moulvibazar, said that they recovered raw meat of wild birds from the restaurant during the drive.