Guest birds flock to Sirajganj's Chalan Beel and Jamuna chars ahead of winter, as poachers also turn active

Guest birds of many species have begun arriving at Sirajganj's Chalan Beel and the char areas of the Jamuna, carrying the first message of winter. The birds have reached the wetlands from faraway lands before the cold wind and fog have even set in, and the beel's waters are now alive with their wingbeats, splashing and calls.

Flocks of balihansh are moving about in places, cormorants are diving in others, and lines of herons stand at the water's edge in search of food. Nature and leisure lovers are coming from different areas to enjoy the scene.

These migratory birds travel thousands of miles to Bangladesh from Siberia and other cold regions of the world to escape severe winter. In search of favourable weather, abundant food and safe shelter, they choose Bangladesh's rivers, beels, haors and wetlands.

This year, guest birds are being seen in various Sirajganj wetlands even before the winter season has begun. Bok, balihansh, cormorants, shamukkhol and other species have started appearing across Tarash's vast Chalan Beel, known as a storehouse of fish, and the Jamuna river chars in Belkuchi upazila.

Guest birds usually move about more once the beel's water recedes, but this year their presence has been noticed somewhat early. As dawn breaks, flocks gather at waterbodies, beel edges and nearby crop fields in search of food. They spend most of the day collecting food and resting on the water, then return to safe shelter in the afternoon.

The presence of birds signals the health of an area's natural environment and food chain and helps protect wetland biodiversity. Yet, alongside the arrival of the guest birds, a group of unscrupulous hunters has also become active.

There are allegations that birds are being hunted with nets and cages set in different areas, and that in places birds are being lured with food to trap them. The birds that came in search of safe shelter are thus facing a new danger.

Md Abdur Razzak Nasim, founder executive director of the environmental organisation Shadhin Jibon, said birds are an ornament of nature and that the arrival of migratory birds in Bangladesh after a journey of thousands of miles is a blessing for the environment. He said these birds help protect crops by eating harmful insects, and also support the aquatic environment, fish production and soil fertility. He therefore said law enforcement agencies need a more active role in stopping guest-bird hunting.

Tarash upazila agriculture officer, agriculturist Sharmistha Sen Gupta, said guest birds play a positive role in agriculture as well as in maintaining environmental balance. By eating harmful crop insects, they create an opportunity to reduce pesticide use in fields and lower farmers' production costs. Bird droppings also work as natural fertiliser in the fields.

According to environmentalists, ensuring safe movement for migratory birds is not only a matter of wildlife conservation but also an important part of protecting the environment and biodiversity. Regular surveillance to stop bird hunting in Chalan Beel and the Jamuna chars, greater public awareness and enforcement of the existing wildlife conservation law are therefore necessary.