Dhaka, July 29 -- Bangladesh currently has a total of 189 tigers in the Sundarbans, the country's only tiger habitat, and in zoos across the country which is not sufficient to protect the species from extinction, State Minister for Fisheries and Livestock Sultan Salauddin Tuku said on Wednesday.

"Tigers are one of the most important wildlife species in the world and an indispensable part of biodiversity. It is extremely important to raise public awareness and build a conservation mindset among the new generation to protect this animal," the state minister told reporters after a rally at Bangladesh National Zoo marking Global Tiger Day.

He said the global tiger population was around 100,000 about a hundred years ago but has now dwindled ...