A wild elephant has been injured in a landmine explosion on the Naikhongchhari-Myanmar border in Bandarban.

The incident happened on the afternoon of Monday, 11 August, near border pillars 43-44 on the Chakdhala-Myanmar frontier in the upazila sadar.

According to local sources, the sound of a landmine blast was heard inside Myanmar across the border. Then, at around 2pm, an injured wild elephant was found bleeding, with the lower part of its foot blown off, in the Oitaillya jhiri (stream) in the Cherar Math area. Local people held the elephant and tried to give it first aid.

Local resident Abdus Salam said the blast had blown off the elephant's foot at the ankle. He said elephants roam the forests of Bangladesh and Myanmar in search of food, and while roaming today the elephant entered that area and was seriously injured when a mine planted by the Arakan Army exploded, blowing off its front right foot from the ankle.

Naikhongchhari forest range officer Md Mozammel Haque Sarkar said the elephant is being given first aid, and further steps will be taken on the instructions of higher authorities.

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