Zoo Bill-2023 passed in Parliament

Any zoo visitors who irritate or hurt any animals would be subject to fines or jail, according to the proposed Zoo Bill-2023, which was passed in Parliament today.

About Tk2,000 administrative compensation would be collected from such visitors for exasperating animals while two months of imprisonment and Tk5,000 would be imposed for injuring them or giving food without prior permission.

Fisheries and Livestock Minister SM Rezaul Karim moved the Bill in the House and it was passed by voice votes with Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury in the chair.

All the government zoos in the country will be run under it. Currently, the Bangladesh National Zoo is managed through an advisory committee.

According to the proposed law, if a visitor enters the zoo without an entry fee, he will be charged an equivalent amount of the entry fee.Tk2,000 compensation can be collected from that person considering the level.

If this law is passed, it will be an offence for any visitor to hurt or injure any zoo animal in any way, to disobey the instructions of the curator or to give food without permission. For this, imprisonment for two months or a fine of Tk5,000 or both will be given.

These crimes can be tried through mobile courts.

The Bill allows the painless death of an animal in a zoo due to age-related physical disability or infectious diseases to save the life of another animal or to prevent the unbearable suffering of an animal in the interest of public health.

According to the Bill, under no circumstances can an animal of the same species of the same sex be kept in a zoo without a specific reason.

No animal shall be separated or kept singly from animals kept in groups for natural reasons except under the direction of the Veterinary Officer.

Considering the nature of the animal, it should be confined or kept free in cages with minimal natural environment or facilities.

The infrastructure of animal cages should be made considering the natural behaviour of the animals, the safety of the people involved in raising the animals concerned and the visitors.

The government may designate one or more zoos to preserve any endangered species.

According to the Bill, the information obtained from regular examination of each animal according to the applicability to determine the extent or level of diseases- germs or parasites which are transmissible from animal to animal or to humans in the body of animals in zoos must be stored separately for each animal in the manner prescribed by the rules.

It said that no foreign species of wild animals can be bought, bartered, gifted or otherwise collected in any zoo without the approval of the government.