Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Md Shahab Uddin has said the government is working with determination to stop deaths from wild elephant attacks. Such unwanted deaths must end, and ordinary people must also be aware alongside the government's efforts.

He said people are often seen going right up to herds of wild elephants out of excessive curiosity and are then attacked. To avoid such unexpected deaths, people must stop going near wild elephants unnecessarily.

The minister spoke as chair of a special hybrid meeting at the ministry's conference room on Wednesday (17 May) to decide on steps to resolve human-wild elephant conflict.

Instructing Forest Department officials, the minister said the Elephant Response Teams must be made more active and must ensure people are kept away from wild elephants.

He said all necessary measures, including solar fencing to control elephant movements and awareness programmes, must be taken. Where crops or other property are damaged, people must be compensated as quickly as possible under the rules. Banana plants and other trees must be planted as food for wild elephants.

Ministry Secretary Dr Farhina Ahmed, Additional Secretary (Environment and Development) Sanjay Kumar Bhowmik, Additional Secretary Mizanur Rahman, Forest Department chief conservator of forests Md Amir Hossain Chowdhury, Mymensingh divisional commissioner Md Shafiqur Reza Biswas, Sherpur deputy commissioner Sahela Akter and divisional forest officers of Mymensingh and Chattogram spoke at the meeting.

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