Chattogram reports third elephant death in as many days

Locals found an almost decomposed elephant covered by a mound of earth in Chattogram's Banshkhali upazila today.

This is the third reported incident of elephant death from the district in the last three days.

The chairman of Boilchari union parishad Kopil Uddin said, after heavy downpour on Sunday, mud got washed away and the rotting elephant carcass was revealed. It stank up the whole village prompting locals to go looking, the chairman added.

Sheik Anisuzzaman, range officer (Joldi area) of Bangladesh Forest Department (wildlife and nature conservation circle) of Chattogram told The Daily Star that he went to the spot with a veterinarian and they assume the giant was aged around 16 years.

Abu Naser Md Yeasin Neyaz, divisional forest officer (wildlife and nature conservation) of Chattogram Forest Circle said they performed an autopsy and will take time to prepare the report.

There are orange and papaya groves not far from the spot where the elephant died, the forest official further said.

"I have seen a metal wire fence around these gardens, which could easily be connected to a source of power. I assume the elephant may have died of electrocution. Let's see what the postmortem report tells us," Abu Naser added.