Cox’s Bazar installs clay nests on trees for birds
In the beginning, they would set up these nests in government office premises and residences out of concern for the safety of birds.
The Cox's Bazar district administration has started installing clay nests on tree branches for birds that are constantly losing their habitat.
Cox's Bazar Deputy Commissioner (DC) Md Kamal Hossain inaugurated the programme on Sunday by installing 50 clay nests on the trees in the DC's bungalow.
The DC said the role of birds in protecting the environment and nature is immense. He added that Cox's Bazar is an integral part of the natural environmental, but the number of birds there is decreasing due to various reasons.
"It is very painful for birds to gradually lose shelter. After observing this, we initially started putting clay nests on tree branches for them," he said.
The Cox's Bazar DC said the programme started with the aim to install about 10 thousand nests gradually.
It will take six months to meet the target of installing 10,000 nests, the DC said. He added that in the beginning, they would set up these nests in government office premises and residences out of concern for the safety of birds. In this endeavour, a voluntary organisation called Environment People is cooperating with the district administration.
The deputy commissioner said the initial cost of the programme is being borne by the district administration.
"We are also talking to an NGO. They have agreed to bear the cost of this activity in the long run," he added.
"Cox's Bazar has a unique ecosystem of sea-river-waterfall-hill-tree-rich nature. Before, it was common to see birds flying from tree to tree, but that is barely noticeable today. One does not see as many birds as one used to before," said Environment People Chief Executive Officer Rashedul Majid.
"We are trying to increase the number of birds and to provide safe nesting places in the trees to bring back endangered species. Our effort will be expanded to mosques, educational institutions, cemeteries, garden houses and roadside trees in Cox's Bazar in phases. We will also work to maintain the nests of these birds and stop bird hunting. Hopefully the birds will come back through this activity," he added.
Cox's Bazar Additional Deputy Commissioner (Revenue) Md Ashraful Afsar, Additional District Magistrate Mohammad Shahjahan Ali, Additional Deputy Commissioner (Overall) Md Masudur Rahman Mollah, Assistant Commissioner (NDC) Makhan Chandra Sutradhar, Assistant Commissioner Jobayer Habib, Assistant Commissioner Syed Murad Islam and volunteers of Environment People were present during the event.
