Bagerhat, Jan. 22 -- The forest officials managed to recover a rare specimen of a river turtle (Batagur Baska) that is facing extinction, just as it was about to be sold at Mongla Bazar on Monday.

Azad Kabir, officer-in-charge of Karamjal Wildlife Reproduction Centre, said the 40-year-old river turtle, weighing 12.5 kg has been caught in the net of a local fisherman from Putimari canal in Mongla upazila of the Sundarbans few days ago.

Later, one Abul Hossain bought it for Tk 1,000. He is the one who took it to Mongla Bazar intending to sell it on at a profit.

Seeing an antenna-like device protruding from its back with a mobile phone number provided - the tell-tale sign of animals under study for some research project, local people call...