A butterfly fair was held Friday at Jahangirnagar University amid festivity. JU pro-vice chancellor Prof Sheikh Md Munjurul Haque inaugurated the fair in front of Zahir Raihan Auditorium around 10 am. The Zoology department, led by its entomology unit arranged it.
With the aim of conservation of butterflies and raising public awareness, various events of the day-long fair included dance, butterfly painting competition for children and teenagers, butterfly photography exhibition, butterfly photography competition, butterfly hut visit, butterfly kite flying, origami competition, barwari debate, butterfly recognition. Competition, butterfly documentary exhibition, prize distribution and closing ceremony were organized.
This year, 'Butterfly Award 2022' was given to Tarupallab organization and 'Butterfly Young Enthusiast Award' was given to Deepta Biswas, a student of zoology department of Dhaka University, for special contribution to nature conservation.
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Meanwhile, on the occasion of the fair, a large crowd of butterfly lovers has been observed in the campus. Butterfly lovers from different parts of the country rushed to the campus to see the butterfly fair. Children are especially excited to see colorful butterflies. Aiman came from Dhaka's Dhanmondi to see the butterfly fair with his father. Ayman, a small child, said it was good to see the red and blue butterflies at the fair. Painting and flying kites feels great. I bought two books on butterflies.
In the speech of the chief guest on the occasion, the Pro Vice-Chancellor said, the beauty of butterflies fills our minds. Without butterflies there would be no pollination. So butterflies should be sustained in nature. Environment is our daily companion. If nature is good, people will be good. Everyone should behave responsibly to maintain a healthy environment.
The convener of the fair Professor of Zoology Department, Manowar Hossain said, "We have been organizing the butterfly fair for the past one era. When biodiversity is endangered, nature also behaves adversely." Butterflies are a perfect example of how little insects can move us. The number of species is constantly decreasing due to lack of proper environment.
Earlier, four and a half hundred species of butterflies could be observed in Bangladesh. That number has now come down. Earlier, 110 species of butterflies could be observed at Jahangirnagar University. Now this has come down to 52. To protect the butterfly, the environment must be well preserved.
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At that time, the registrar of the university, Rahima Kaniz, the former chief conservator of the forest department, Ishtiaq Uddin Ahmed, the in-charge of the cute pavilion, Matlub Akhtar, the president of the department of zoology, Prof. Dr. Mohammad Monirul Hasan Khan and others.
It is to be noted that the Butterfly Fair was held in the campus for the first time in 2010 to create public awareness about butterflies. Since then butterfly fair is being held every year.