United News of Bangladesh

A man died in a wild elephant attack when villagers were chasing the herd at Gabrakhali border area in Mymensingh’s Haluaghat upazila. The deceased was identified as Md. Iddis Mia, 50. According to locals, a herd of 30-35 wild elephants came to the Gabrakhali border area and went into the village’s crop fields looking for food. Villagers of Kandapara chased the herd to drive them away. Iddis Mia was attacked when he got too close to the herd, said Md. Abdul Mannan, Chairman of Gazirvita union parishad. Shahinuzzaman, officer-in-charge of Haluaghat police station, confirmed the matter.  

A court in Chattogram has remanded in judicial custody a man and his son in a case filed over the killing of a wild elephant in Rangunia upazila in 2019. A senior judicial magistrate passed the order after Md Abul Hashem and his son Sahab Uddin surrendered before the court and sought bail on Thursday. Also read: Elephant trapped in Rangunia canal rescued after 7 hours Chattogram divisional forest officer (South) Shafiqul Islam said the wild elephant was electrocuted when it came in contact with an illegal power line installed by the two at Narishcha Bit in Rangunia range of the southern forest division in November 2019. At the time, a case was filed in the court against the father-son duo. Earlier on December 14 last year, the court sent a man and his son to jail for killing an elephant in Banshkhali upazila. Also read:Two more land in jail over elephant death in Sherpur In the first such case in the country, Mohammad Kamal, 50, and his son Nezam, 22, of Banshkhali upazila were found guilty of electrocuting the elephant on November 30 last year.

A wild elephant was found dead near the Gazni border of Sherpur's Jhenaigati upazila early Saturday, forest officials said. This is the third carcass of a wild elephant found in the district in the past four months. Quamrul Islam Akond, an officer of the Jhenaigati forest department, said the elephant was 10-11 years old. Locals first spotted the carcass of the elephant in Halchatigram and informed the forest department. “Prima facie, it seemed that the elephant died naturally. However, a post-mortem will be conducted to determine the cause of death,” said Quamrul. Read: Father, son land in jail for killing elephant in Chattogram In November last year, forest officials recovered the carcasses of two other wild elephants in the district.

The High Court on Monday directed the government authorities to take prompt action against elephant killings in the country. The court also issued a rule and directed the Information and Broadcasting Ministry to spread awareness on preventing elephant killings. HC bench of justice Md Mostafizur Rahman and M Enayetur Rahim passed the order during a hearing on a writ petition seeking directions to stop elephant killing across the country. The court issued a rule questioning why direction will not be given to publish a gazette announcing 12 elephant corridors as conserved following the Wildlife (Conservation and Security) Act, 2012. Also read: Another elephant calf found dead in Cox’s Bazar The court also questioned why inaction against preventing elephant killing by the respondents mentioned in the petition will not be announced illegal. On November 21, three wildlife activist including Adnan Azad, Farzana Yasmin filed a writ petition seeking direction on steps for ending elephant killing in Cox’s bazar, Chattogram and other areas in the country. In the petition 21 including the environment secretary, information secretary, director general of the forest department, district commissioners of Chattogram and Cox’s bazar were made respondents. Also read: Case against 4 in Sherpur over killing Asian elephant Earlier on November 9, Forest Department filed a Prosecution Offense Report case with Chattogram forest court against three people over killing a wild elephant in Satkania.

A Buddhist monk was killed by a wild elephant at Raikhali Union in Kaptai upazila of Rangamati district early Monday. The deceased was identified as Bhadanta Ajnadhamma Ther, principal of Tambaghona Buddhist Monastery in Karigar Para of the Union. Read: Garo man trampled to death by elephant in Sherpur Witnesses said a wild elephant attacked the monk when he came out of the monastery around 5:30 am, leaving him dead on the spot. Iqbal Bahar Chowdhury, officer-in-charge of Chandraghona Police Station, said police recovered the body.

A 70-year-old woman was trampled to death by a wild elephant in her lemon garden at Joldi union in Chattogram's Banshkhali Friday. The deceased was identified as Nure Ayesha and the incident took place when the victim went to pick lemons from her garden in the Jangal Joldi area of the upazila, Banshkhali Police Station Assistant Sub-Inspector Mubarak Hossain said. Ayesha was critically injured when the elephant attacked her; when locals rushed her to Banshkhali Health Complex, she was declared dead, Mubarak added. Also read: Two teenage boys killed in Bandarban elephant attack Sheikh Anisuzzaman, range officer of Joldi Range under Wildlife Management and Nature Conservation Division of Chattogram, said: "The Manorama Jiri area of Jangal Joldi has been marked by the forest department for elephant movement. Ayesha was trampled to death by an elephant when she went to her lemon garden to pick lemons from the area." The elephant is a "critically endangered" species in Bangladesh, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species. Faced with shrinking forest cover and human encroachment of their corridors, wild elephants are under serious threat in southeast Bangladesh. Also read: Ailing circus elephant dies in Sirajganj The construction of huge settlements on forest land and hills has also restricted their free movement. Also, ever-increasing deforestation in the hills is leading to a crisis of food and habitat for wild animals, making the elephants venture into human settlements in search of food and attack those who try to stop them.

Two teenage boys were killed in an attack by a wild elephant at Konapara in Alikadam upazila of Bandarban district early Sunday.

A wild elephant was found dead at Katabari along the border in Nalitabari upazila of Sherpur district on Monday.

A septuagenarian man was trampled to death by a wild elephant at Old Motor Station area of Bottoli village in Anowara upazila here on Tuesday.

A farmer was killed in an elephant attack at Dhakdhala Kalurkata village in Naikhongchhari upazila on early Friday.