Elephants were used to collect money on roads, highways and elsewhere around the country. Two years ago the Forest Department rescued two such elephants and brought them to Gazipur Safari Park. Now, following applications from their owners, the two elephants, Samrat and Nihar Kali, have been returned on several conditions, including that they are not abused or used to collect money.

Tarek Rahman, officer-in-charge of Gazipur Safari Park, announced the return on Thursday, 20 August. He said the Forest Department handed Samrat and Nihar Kali back to their owners from the park in Sreepur, Gazipur, at noon on 12 August. Samrat's owner Monir Mia and Nihar Kali's owner Abdul Majid took charge of them.

Samrat was rescued after it crushed mahout Nazrul Islam to death in Kotalipara, Gopalganj, on 24 September 2024, and was then brought to the safari park. Nihar Kali was rescued from Bhulta in Narayanganj on 31 August 2024.

According to the Forest Department, there were allegations that the two elephants were used to extract money from people and were mistreated, which is why they were brought to the park.

Samrat's owner Monir Mia said the elephant has been taken from the safari park and is now kept in the Moulvibazar area, where he will look after it at his own responsibility.

Tarek Rahman said the owners applied to the Forest Department following the proper procedure. Their applications were examined before the decision was taken, and their financial capacity was also checked. Custody bonds and undertakings were taken from them, and after considering everything the elephants were handed over on the instructions of higher authorities.

Forest conservator Md Sanaullah Patwari said undertakings were taken from the owners, with conditions that the elephants are not abused or made to suffer and are not used to collect money. The elephants were returned on custody bonds on Tk 300 stamp paper.

He claimed the elephants were returned in line with the rules after the owners' earlier applications, and not because of the deaths of two elephants at the safari park.

Two elephants died in the park's elephant shed on 6 and 7 August. On 24 May this year, four-year-old elephant Joyita attacked 10-year-old Raju Bahadur, who was chained in the shed, breaking one of his legs. A medical board was formed for his treatment, a specialist vet was brought from Thailand and vets in Sri Lanka were also consulted. Despite all efforts, the elephant died on Friday, 7 August.

Another elephant at Gazipur Safari Park died of a bacterial infection on 6 August.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.