Dhaka: Bangladesh currently has a total of 189 tigers in the Sundarbans, the country’s only tiger habitat, and in zoos across the country which is not sufficient to protect the species from extinction, State Minister for Fisheries and Livestock Sultan Salauddin Tuku said on Wednesday.

According to United News of Bangladesh, the state minister emphasized the significance of tigers as a crucial component of global biodiversity and stressed the need for increased public awareness and a conservation mindset among the younger generation. These remarks were made after a rally at Bangladesh National Zoo in observance of Global Tiger Day.

The state minister highlighted the drastic decline in the global tiger population, which has plummeted from approximately 100,000 around a century ago to about 5,000 currently, underscoring the severe threat to the species’ survival. He urged for immediate and effective conservation initiatives to avert an even more critical situation for tigers in the future.

Breaking down the figures, the state minister noted that the Sundarbans hosts 124 tigers, while Bangladesh National Zoo has around 15, and other zoos across the country collectively hold about 50. He reiterated that tigers are a national asset, and the government is committed to implementing necessary conservation measures to ensure that future generations can learn about and appreciate the importance of protecting tigers.

In response to questions concerning the budget for tiger census and its transparency, the state minister clarified that the responsibility for tiger counting lies with the Forest Department, which conducts the process transparently through its own mechanisms. The Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock does not oversee this activity.

The state minister also inaugurated a souvenir shop at Bangladesh National Zoo following the rally.