Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Md. Shahab Uddin on Wednesday said that the government is working sincerely to prevent human deaths due to attack by wild elephants.

Such unnecessary deaths of people must be stopped, said the minister adding that along with the initiative of the government in this regard, common people should also be aware. 

The environment minister said these while addressing a special meeting in the meeting room of the ministry on resolving the conflict between humans and wild elephants.

Sahab Uddin said it is often seen that many people get too excited and go too close to herds of wild elephants, resulting in elephant attacks.  Hence, to avoid such unexpected deaths, people need to stop going near wild elephants unnecessarily, he said.

Giving instructions to the officials of the Forest Department, the Minister said that the activities of the Elephant Response Team should be strengthened . 

The minister also said that to control the movement of wild elephants, installation of solar fencing, implementation of awareness programs and other necessary measures should be taken.  He said, in case of crop and other damages, the people should be compensated as soon as possible according to the rules and banana trees and other trees should be planted as food for wild elephants.

Secretary Dr. Farhina Ahmed, Additional Secretary (Environment and Development) Sanjay Kumar Bhowmik, Additional Secretary (EPC) Mizanur Rahman NDC, Chief Conservator of Forest Md. Amir Hossain Chowdhury, Mymensingh Divisional Commissioner Md. Shafiqur Reza Biswas and Sherpur Deputy Commissioner Sahela Akhtar, among others,  spoke in the meeting.