Sitesh Ranjan Deb
Sitesh Ranjan Deb | |
|---|---|
সিতেশ রঞ্জন দেব | |
| Born | 1950 or 1951 |
| Died | (aged 75) Sreemangal Poly Clinic, Sreemangal, Moulvibazar, Bangladesh |
| Occupation | Wildlife conservationist |
| Children | Swapan Deb Sonjol |
Sitesh Ranjan Deb (1950 or 1951 – 14 July 2026), known as Sitesh Babu, was a Bangladeshi professional hunter who was a notable wildlife conservationist.[1]
Background
Deb grew up in a family that had been hunters, and in his youth, when hunting was not legally restricted, he himself was a professional hunter and wilderness guide.[2] However, his life changed in an accident in 1991 when he unexpectedly came face to face with a bear. He was injured severely, losing part of his face and right eye, before he managed to shoot the bear.[1][2][3] He quit hunting and focused on wildlife conservation.[1][4]
Death and reactions
Passing
Deb, who had long been managing age-related health conditions including diabetes, passed away on July 14, 2026, at 9:05 a.m. Bangladesh Standard Time (BDT) after suffering a sudden heart attack.[5] His condition deteriorated rapidly at his residence on Ramakrishna Mission Road in the Sreemangal municipality of the Moulvibazar District.[6] He died en route to the hospital as family members rushed him to the Sreemangal Poly Clinic, where attending medical officers formally pronounced him dead.[7]
Public media announcements of his passing were officially distributed by major national news outlets starting at 3:14 p.m. BDT that afternoon.[7] Following the announcement, his body was temporarily returned to the headquarters of the Bangladesh Wildlife Service Foundation—famously localized as "Sitesh Babu's Zoo"—where injured animals under rehabilitation were brought before his casket for a final symbolic farewell.[6] His remains were subsequently transported to his ancestral family village in Noagaon (Tor village) within the Sreemangal Upazila for the performance of his final funeral rites.[7]
Reactions
The news of Deb's death prompted immediate public mourning and tributes across Bangladesh:
- Family tributes: His son, Swapan Deb Sojol, commemorated his father's foundational work, noting that his condition took an unexpected turn at home before the family could successfully secure clinical stabilization.[7]
- Community and environmental response: Hundreds of local residents, environmental activists, and admirers gathered at the foundation to pay their final respects. Forest department representatives and conservation organizations released statements honoring his multi-decade transformation from a historic wilderness hunter into one of the country's most respected self-taught wildlife rehabilitators.
Zoo
Locally, wild animals and their habitat have rapidly diminished as an enlarging human population has led to deforestation, often illegally, for timber and firewood.[2] Even before he stopped hunting altogether he had developed a zoo[1] which has rescued, rehabilitated and freed more than 3,000 animals.[3][8][9][10] The zoo has hosted many rare animal species such as the first recorded Burmese ferret-badger in Bangladesh.[11] His work has been featured in numerous news articles.[2][12][13][14]
References
- 1 2 3 4 Shafiq Alam (September 6, 2010). "Reformed hunter battles to save Bangladesh's wildlife". Dawn. Agence France-Presse(AFP).
- 1 2 3 4 Dan Morrison (September 22, 2010). "The One-Eyed Hunter and the Albino Fishing Cat". National Geographic. Archived from the original on April 11, 2011.
- 1 2 "From hunter to wildlife protector". Al Jazeera. Oct 25, 2010.
- ↑ "Reformed hunter battles to save Bangladesh's wildlife". Terra Daily. Sep 27, 2010.
- ↑ News Desk (2026-07-14). "Wildlife conservationist Sitesh Ranjan Deb no more". The Business Standard. Retrieved 2026-07-15.
- 1 2 "Bangladesh wildlife rescuer Sitesh Ranjan Deb dies at 81 in Sreemangal". The Climate Watch. 2026-07-15. Retrieved 2026-07-15.
- 1 2 3 4 "Wildlife conservationist Sitesh Ranjan Deb passes away". The Daily Star. 2026-07-15. Retrieved 2026-07-15.
- ↑ "Back to wild life: releases of wildlife by Sitesh Ranjan". The Daily Star. June 17, 2011.
- ↑ "Releases of Wildlife: Have a different day at Sitesh Deb sanctuary". The Daily Star. January 4, 2013.
- ↑ "Releases of Wildlife: Celebrating Baishakh (1st day of Bengali Year) in a different way". Bdnews24.com. April 15, 2011.
- ↑ Islam MA, Chowdhury GW, Belant JL (October 2008). "First record of the Large-toothed Ferret Badger Melogale personata in Bangladesh" (PDF). IUCN/SSC Small Carnivore Specialist Group (SCSG). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-05-12.
- ↑ Anbarasan Ethirajan (November 3, 2011). "The former hunter saving Bangladesh's wildlife". BBC News.
- ↑ "Fishing cat, caught by locals". The Daily Star. March 6, 2012.
- ↑ "Python lays eggs at mini zoo". The Daily Star. May 3, 2011.