Return of Bagerhat shrine crocodile demanded 

BAGERHAT, June 7:  A press conference was held in Bagerhat demanding the immediate return of a crocodile that was recently removed from the historic pond of Hazrat Khan Jahan Ali (RA) shrine.

The press conference was held on Sunday afternoon at the Bagerhat Press Club under the banner of "general public", where Khan Jahan Ali shrine's chief caretaker Fakir Tarikul Islam read out a written statement.

In the statement, speakers said the crocodile had been an inseparable part of the centuries-old history, tradition and culture of the shrine pond, and called for its immediate return.

They urged the authorities to bring back the crocodile without delay, saying it is not just an animal but a symbol of Bagerhat's heritage and an attraction for both local and foreign visitors.

Fakir Tarikul Islam said people of Bagerhat were deeply saddened and disappointed after the removal of the only crocodile from the shrine pond.

He said visitors from home and abroad come to the site to see the shrine and its historic crocodile, which he described as a "living symbol of heritage and emotion".

He also referred to a recent incident in which an eight-year-old girl named Fatema died after being attacked by a crocodile while bathing in the pond. He expressed deep sorrow over the incident.

Following the incident, authorities held an emergency meeting on safety concerns and decided to remove the crocodile from the pond.

Accordingly, the only female crocodile in the shrine pond was captured by the Forest Department and shifted on Wednesday to the Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre in Boyra, Khulna.