Two fishing cats in a Tangail locality leave more than a hundred families in Ghatail in fear
More than a hundred families in the Taltala area of Lakshindar Union, in Ghatail upazila of Tangail, are living in fear after two fishing cats were seen moving around the locality. Local residents say the two animals have been seen roaming the area for several days.
On Friday (6 November), the two fishing cats were spotted in bushes beside a house in Taltala village. When an announcement was made over the mosque loudspeaker and people gathered, the two animals fled.
The fear among local residents has not subsided, as the two fishing cats are still at large.
Local resident Bablu Mia said the fishing cats were seen in bushes beside Barek's house, west of Aniknagar Park. A teenager named Harun filmed them on his mobile phone at the time. The video spread on Facebook within moments, creating a stir in the area, and hundreds of curious people gathered beside the dense jungle.
Abdul Barek Mia said that on Friday the two animals came out of the dense jungle west of his house and lay down. They then began roaring loudly. According to him, no one dared to go near them because of the roaring.
Local Union Parishad (UP) member Abdullah said that when the fishing cat video spread on Facebook, it created a sensation in the area and fear of the animals spread across the whole locality.
Upazila Forest Officer Emran Ali said he went to the spot immediately after receiving the news. He said local people are mistakenly calling the animals leopards, but they are in fact fishing cats.
The forest officer also said an announcement was made over the local mosque loudspeaker asking residents not to panic and not to kill the two fishing cats.
