64 elephants killed in Chittagong region in 19 years, petition in High Court

A writ petition has been filed in the High Court seeking directions to investigate the cause of death of 84 elephants in the last 19 years in the Chittagong region.

The Secretary of the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, Chief Conservator of Forests, Conservator of Forests of Chittagong Region has been made a defendant in the writ petition. On Monday (August 24), Supreme Court lawyer Manoj Kumar Bhowmik filed the writ petition in the concerned branch of the High Court in the public interest.

Manoj Kumar Bhowmik said a writ petition has been filed in the High Court seeking immediate formation of a high-level committee to probe the unexpected death of elephants in the Chittagong region in the last 19 years. In the writ petition, I have attached a report published in an English daily on 23 August.

According to the Forest Department, 106 elephants have died in the Chittagong Forest Circle (Cox's Bazar, part of Bandarban, Chittagong city and Rangamati) in the last 19 years. Of these, 32 died in accidents, 29 in illness, 22 in geriatric complications, 15 in electrocution and eight in bullets.

Manoj Kumar Bhowmik said 22 elephants had died of old age. Therefore, an inquiry has been sought into the remaining 84 cases.