A ‘butterfly fair’ organised by the zoology department of Jahangirnagar University on the campus on Friday profusely entertained a huge crowd that enjoyed the colours and patterns of live butterflies, watched photography exhibition and attended other programmes.
A hundred varieties of butterfly were displayed at the daylong programme with the spirit to make people aware of the role the flying creature plays in maintaining the ecological balance.
Private station Channel-i assisted in organising the 9:00am to 6:00pm fete.
Mohammad Monwar Hossain, assistant professor of the zoology department of the university, said the campus is inhabited by 102 varieties of butterflies.
Monwar said he has detected all these varieties in an extensive research work for last 15 years, adding that a hundred varieties of them were displayed live at the Friday’s fair.
The flying butterflies were kept secure in baby mosquito nets in front of the Zahir Raihan auditorium.
Around 300 butterflies of ‘Plain Tiger’ variety were artificially bred at the entomology section of the zoology department and later released on the campus, he said.
According to the professor, only 500 of around 10 thousand varieties living on the globe are found in Bangladesh.
JU vice-chancellor Anwar Hossain inaugurated the fair as chief guests with pro vice-chancellor Mohammad Farhad Hossain and Bangladesh department chair Mohammad Khalid Hossain being the special guests.
Artist Ferdausi Priobhashini, photographer Anwar Hossain and naturalist Dwijen Sharma also addressed the programme.
A children’s painting competition and a photography exhibition on butterfly were also organised and a pictorial handbook titled ‘Butterflies of Bangladesh’ by Shafique Hoider
Chowdhury and Monwar Hossain was launched.
The organisers also held a debate competition and screened a documentary on butterfly.
Dhaka University zoology professor Syed Mohammad Humayun Kabir was honoured with a crest at the programme for his contribution to research on the species.
Varieties of the species displayed at the fair include Plain Tiger, Common Crow, Plum Judy, Dingy Bushbrown, Common Duffer, Ape Fly, Pea Blue, Tiny Grass Blue, Oak Blue, Common Sailor, Common Rose, Blue Mormon, Striped Albatross, Mottled Emigrant, Common Grass Yellow, Monkey Puzzle, Blue Pansy and Painted Lady.