In the recent year, about 22 wild elephants have died in the country. In between that, 4 wild elephants died this month. According to the wildlife researchers, these elephants had fallen prey to planned traps, rather than a natural death. This opinion was placed on the table by them in the human chain “Human Chain to Safeguard Endangered Asian Elephants” and mass position programme organized at the Press Club premises in Chittagong on Saturday, 26th December, 2020 at around 11:30 in the morning.

Under the banner ‘Combined Movement to save the Nature’, the animal conservationists, researchers, teachers, reporters and people from all walks of life have come together to appeal to stop killing these wild elephants in Chittagong and Cox’s Bazar and they demand the miscreants to be arrested soon and allotted exemplary punishment.

Teachers from different universities, litterateurs, intellectuals, poets, artists, environmental, social and professional organization leaders and mass media people have shown solidarity to this programme. In the programme, the speakers placed their demand for safe passage and movement of these wild elephants, preservation of water bodies in the deep forests to ensure their food and drink and their overall safety.

The mass media coverage and social communication media, the treacherous deaths were shown to have occurred by bullets, poison and electric shock. If this continues, the day is not far when these animals will go into extinction. Considering this as a dire demand, important steps must be taken in this regard.

The speakers added, the existing preservation acts have to be revised on discussion and maintained well to ensure the preservation of the wild elephants. According to IUCN, in the last survey of Bangladesh forestry and wildlife conservation on elephants, in the year 2016, there are 268 wild elephants in the country.

93 migrant elephants roam around five borderline forest areas. Apart from that, there are 100 elephants which are tamed and Government permitted. But the number of living animals are decreasing day by day for the increase in the number of their deaths. By the end of the programme, they placed a five point demand for the conservation of wild elephants. The demands are –

1. Take proper steps to stop this continued killing of wild elephants in Chittagong and Cox’s Bazar and the culprits have to be arrested soon and allotted exemplary punishment.
2. Ensure safe passage and movement of these wild elephants, preservation of water bodies in the deep forests to ensure their food and drink and their overall safety.
3. Investigate if there’s any negligence of the officers in charge of the safety of wildlife and animals and on receiving any positive result, they must be adjudged and punished as per the ministry of environment, forest and climate change.
4. By mending wildlife (conservation and safety) act 2012, stop the commercial use of elephants permanently.
5. The wildlife conservation law and animal welfare law must be enacted effectively.

Mohammad Shahab Uddin, Associate Professor, University of Chittagong was the chairman of the programme, which was hosted by A N M Moazzem Hossen Riyad, one of the leaders of the nature protection movement and central parliamentary chairman of ‘Save the Nature of Bangladesh’. Wildlife reporter, Aminul Islam Mithu coordinated the whole programme.