The Zoo Bill 2023 has passed in the parliament today keeping stricter provisions of jail and fines for visitors who will injure or harass any animal there.
According to the bill, a zoo visitor will have to pay Tk 2,000 as administrative compensation if he/she harasses any animal. For injuring or giving food without permission, he/she may face two months' imprisonment and a Tk 5,000 fine.
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Fisheries Minister SM Rezaul Karim placed the Bill which passed by voice vote.
Currently, the Bangladesh National Zoo is managed through an advisory committee.
According to the proposed law, if a visitor enters the zoo without an entry fee, he/she will be charged the equivalent of the entry fee.
However, Tk 2000 compensation can be collected from that person considering the level of his offence.
All these crimes can be tried through mobile courts.
The bill allows the provision of painless death of an animal in case of age-related issues or if it is infected with infectious diseases to save the life of other animals or in the interest of public health.
According to the bill, under no circumstances can an animal of the same species of the same sex be kept in a zoo without a specific reason.
No "social animal" shall be separated or kept isolated. If authorities have to do that, it has to do it under the direction of a veterinary officer.
Considering the nature of animals, they should be confined or kept free in cages with appropriate natural environment.
It said that no foreign species of wild animals can be bought, bartered, gifted or otherwise collected in any zoo without the approval of the government.
