The Russell's viper has become a name of terror in Harirampur upazila of Manikganj. The deadly venomous snake is being seen almost daily along the banks of the Padma and on its chars, and locals regularly post photos and videos of snakes being beaten to death on social media.

Until recently the snake was found only on the chars, but it is now being seen in villages too, spreading fear across the area.

On Wednesday afternoon (19 June), locals beat a Russell's viper to death on the Padma bank in the upazila's Ramkrishnapur area. They saw another one floating down the river at the same time.

Local resident Sagar Saha said people walking along the Padma saw two Russell's vipers in the river. One came up on the bank and the other stayed in the water. Locals killed the one on the bank with sticks straight away, but the one in the water was carried off by the current.

"Until now I had seen Russell's vipers on Facebook. This time I saw them for real. The two snakes were coming up on to the river bank. It is very frightening," he said.

Dr Meheruba Panna, Harirampur upazila health and family planning officer, said she had heard that Russell's vipers had become more common in Harirampur, but the upazila's supply of antivenom for snakebite patients was very limited. The matter had been raised at a district meeting, she said, and she hoped the supply would increase.

If anyone is bitten, she said, they must be taken straight to hospital within 100 minutes, without delay, so that the antivenom injection works effectively.

Raju Ahmed, president of Snake Rescue Team Bangladesh, said the group would rescue any Russell's viper free of charge if informed as soon as one is seen. He urged people not to get bitten themselves while trying to kill a snake, and asked them to call 01780932717 or 01313056255.

In the past three months at least five people have died after being bitten by Russell's vipers, the country's most venomous snake, on the chars of Harirampur upazila, and several have been injured. More than 50 Russell's vipers have been reported beaten to death so far.

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