KAMALGANJ, MOULVIBAZAR, Jan 29: Moulvibazar, the tea capital of Bangladesh, is a popular tourist destination in the country's northeast, drawing visitors from across Bangladesh and abroad throughout the year.
The areas of Sreemangal and Kamalganj are particularly famous for their lush tea gardens, natural beauty, and the Lawachara National Park, home to a variety of wildlife. However, amid the region's tourism boom, an alarming trend has emerged: wild animals are increasingly falling victim to fast-moving vehicles and trains.
On roads passing through Lawachara National Park, animals are frequently crushed under vehicles. A significant portion of these casualties are nocturnal species that come out at night in search of food. Similar incidents also occur along railway tracks running through the forest.
The upazila administration has said that drivers of tourist vehicles have been trained to follow speed limits and protect wildlife. Officials claim the guidelines are meant to safeguard animals, yet in practice, these measures are often ignored. Many drivers argue that slowing down on hilly roads makes it difficult to drive, but conservationists see this as a justification for recklessness.
"The instructions to protect wildlife remain mostly on paper," said local wildlife observers. The result is a competitive rush among drivers to transport tourists faster, putting animals' lives at risk.
On January 25, a langur monkey was killed after being run over by a tourist vehicle on the Sreemangal-Kamalganj road. Most incidents, according to officials, occur along the road sections cutting through the national park.
The government declared nearly 1,250 hectares of forest as Lawachara National Park in 1996 to protect biodiversity, including rare and endangered species. Yet, roughly 6.5 kilometres of road and 8 kilometres of railway cut through the park. Daily traffic and food shortages expose wildlife to constant danger.
Environmentalists and journalists have urged stricter enforcement. "Guidelines and training alone are not enough," said Parvez and Zahed Ahmed. "Strong monitoring and exemplary penalties are necessary, or Lawachara 's forests may fall silent under the wheels of vehicles."
Sitesh Ranjan Dev, Chairman of the Wildlife Care Foundation, noted that animals injured on roads often retreat into the forest, dying out of sight. Electrocution from exposed power lines has also killed rare species of bats and monkeys.
Ranger Kazi Nazmul Haque of the Wildlife Management and Nature Conservation Department in Sreemangal said that trains are supposed to move at 20 kilometres per hour inside the park, yet this rule is rarely followed.
"We repeatedly instruct drivers to adhere to speed limits, but compliance is minimal," he said. Efforts are underway to identify the vehicle involved in the recent monkey fatality.
The growing number of wildlife deaths highlights the urgent need for stricter monitoring, public awareness, and enforcement to protect Lawachara National Park's irreplaceable biodiversity.
