After a 20-year chase, the Bangladesh police have arrested a notorious poacher accused of killing around 70 endangered Bengal tigers. Habib Talukder, also known as “Tiger Habib”, is believed to have killed scores of tigers in the Subdarbans mangrove forests between India and Bangladesh.
As per a report by the Dhaka Tribune, the Sharankhola police, acting on a tip-off, arrested Habib early on Saturday from the Madhya Sonatola village. The police chief told the newspaper three arrest warrants had been issued for Habib and that he had been on the run for a long time.
The same day, Habib was produced before a court and sent to jail. He is accused in nine cases filed over forest crimes and had been listed as a most wanted fugitive by both the police and Forest department.
“He secretly entered the Sundarbans and hunted wild animals despite being banned from entering the forest long ago. He has been carrying out these criminal activities even though there are multiple cases against him… some powerful gangs are involved in this,” station officer Mohammed Abdul Mannan told the newspaper.
While Habib is accused of killing 70 tigers, Forest Department data says 38 tigers were killed between 2001 and 2020 in the Sundarbans, not all of whom died from poachers.
Honey hunter Abdus Salam told AFP that the locals "equally respect him and are scared of him".
"He's a dangerous man who could fight alone with [tigers] inside the forest,” Salam was quoted as saying. Habib himself started his career collecting honey before expanding into poaching.
According to the report, black market traders would buy the tigers’ pelt, bones and flesh to be later sold in China and other countries. In much of South East Asia and East Asia, traditional medicines make use of organs from exotic and endangered animals.
As per 2018 tiger census data, Bangladesh recorded 114 tigers in 2018 compared to a record low of 106 in 2015. According to the World Land Trust, less than 2,000 Bengal tigers remain in the wild—meaning Habib alone may have killed over 3.5 per cent of their population if the 70-tiger figure is accurate.
“Bengal Tigers are hunted for trophies or for body parts or skins. They are also hunted if they prey on domestic livestock, and because of this have even been declared ‘pests’ in some areas,” the WLT says on its website.
