Butterfly Fair: A day of colours at JU

The Zahir Raihan Auditorium premises at Jahangirnagar University turned vibrant yesterday as a daylong Butterfly Fair brought together hundreds of butterflies, vivid photographs, and nature enthusiasts.

By midday, the fairground was buzzing with excitement as visitors, especially children, marvelled at the fluttering wings around them.

"I didn't know butterflies could be so colourful. Seeing them all together feels magical," said Arshaad, a class III student at JU School and College.

Around 35 butterfly species, including the Striped Pierrot, Blue Tiger, and Painted Lady, were on display on the auditorium premises, JU Butterfly Park, and the Botanical Garden.

The event was organised by the university's Department of Zoology, with Cute as the title sponsor, under the theme "Urle Akashe Projapiti, Prokriti Paye Notun Goti".

"In 2013, JU recorded 110 butterfly species. Today that number stands at 70," said Prof Monwar Hossain, convener of the fair.

Rapid urban development around the campus has destroyed many of their habitats, he said.

Conservationist Auritro Sattar noted that the decline in butterfly and moth populations signals broader ecological distress.

"Shrubs and bushes that butterflies rely on are disappearing. These species are also extremely sensitive to particulate matter like PM10 and PM2.5 -- making their loss an indicator of severe air pollution," he said.

This year, wildlife expert Dr Ali Reza Khan received the Butterfly Award for his contributions to conservation. The Butterfly Young Enthusiast Award was jointly awarded to JU Zoology students Sabbir Ahmed Shahariar, Rabbi Tanmoy, and Nure Afsari.

Speaking at the programme, JU Vice Chancellor Prof Mohammad Kamrul Ahsan reflected on the irony of human interaction with nature. "The same people who appreciate and marvel at butterflies are also destroying their habitats. Every creature has the right to live, and butterflies remind us of our duty to protect nature," he added.  The fair -- starting at 9:00am and closing at 4:00pm -- also featured puppetry, art competitions, quizzes, kite flying, photography, debates, and a butterfly identification contest, drawing enthusiastic participation from visitors of all ages.