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Sunday | October 11, 2026 | Dhaka

‘Probe underway into smuggling lemur to India’

 Staff Reporter
 Published: 12:56 AM, 11 October 2026  Updated: 11:22 PM, 10 October 2026

Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Abdul Awal Mintoo stated that an investigation is ongoing regarding allegations that a lemur was stolen from the safari park in Sreepur, Gazipur, is currently housed in a private zoo in India. The minister visited the Gazipur Safari Park on Saturday as part of an official tour.

He began the inspection around 2:00 PM and departed for Sherpur around 3:30 PM. During the visit, the minister affirmed that appropriate measures would be taken once the investigation concludes.

When asked about bringing back the lemur from the Indian zoo, the minister remarked, “There are complications involved in bringing the lemur back. Furthermore, I do not quite understand how it ended up there in the first place.”

Mintoo said, “An investigation into this matter is currently underway. We hope to make a decision once the investigation is complete, as this issue involves two countries. It will take some time; once our investigation concludes, appropriate action will be taken.”

He was accompanied by S.M. Rafiqul Islam, Member of Parliament for Gazipur-3, and various officials from the Forest Department.

Meanwhile, Minister Abdul Awal Mintoo announced that dialogue with India would soon commence-based on existing protocols-to establish a cross-border corridor for the protection of wild elephants roaming the Garo Hills of Sherpur.

He noted that over a hundred wild elephants from Meghalaya are stranded in the Garo Hills of Sherpur, unable to return to their home territory due to the barbed-wire border fence. To address this situation, Indian authorities will be requested to open border gates.

Additionally, initiatives will be undertaken to develop the forest areas of Sherpur into a safe habitat for wild elephants.

The Minister made these remarks while speaking as the chief guest at a discussion meeting on resolving human-elephant conflict and conserving wild elephants, held at the conference room of Jhenaigati Upazila Parishad in Sherpur.