Tawhidul Islam, Cox's Bazar 

A total of 250 Olive Ridley turtle hatchlings have been released on the beach of Cox’s Bazar.The hatchlings, born in a nursery jointly operated by the Cox’s Bazar Forest Department and Nature Conservation Management (NECROM), were released into the sea on Wednesday  at Inani Beach.Dr. Molya Rezaul Karim, Forest Conservator of the Chattogram region, was present during the release.Speaking at the event, he said, “The Olive Ridley turtle, with its distinctive olive-colored shell, is native to the Bay of Bengal. This precious marine species plays a vital role in maintaining the balance and sustainability of the ocean’s ecosystem and biodiversity.”Other notable attendees included Mohammad Nurul Islam, Divisional Forest Officer of the Cox’s Bazar South Forest Division; Mohammad Badruzzaman, Cox’s Bazar District Fisheries Officer; Abdul Kaiyum, Manager of Natural Resource Management and Climate Change at NECROM; and several officials from the Cox’s Bazar South Forest Division.Abdul Kaiyum from NECROM said that eggs had been collected from 12 different points along the coast, and over 6,000 hatchlings have been successfully released so far. Every year, large numbers of Olive Ridley turtles come to the world’s longest sea beach in Cox’s Bazar to lay their eggs.

To ensure the safety of these nesting turtles and to provide a secure environment for hatching, the Forest Department and NECROM have established nurseries at more than 12 locations stretching from Cox’s Bazar city to Teknaf. Around 26,770 eggs were collected and carefully incubated using special management techniques in these nurseries. According to NECROM, over 6,000 hatchlings have hatched successfully so far.A recent survey revealed that turtles are now nesting at only 34 spots along the coast, a significant decline from 52 locations a decade ago. This indicates that the nesting grounds for sea turtles are increasingly under threat.