Sherpur residents seek compensation for elephant attack victims' families

Demanding compensation for the families of those killed in Indian elephant attacks in the border areas of Sherpur district, the Sherpur Zila Unnayan Sangram Parishad organised a human chain in front of the National Press Club in Dhaka on Saturday.

The organisation said that in the last few years, about 34 farmers and labourers have been killed by Indian elephants. The organisation made a 6-point demand for family members of the victims.

The demands include: providing assistance and rehabilitation to the families of each of the deceased in accordance with international law, establishing a specific sanctuary centre to keep the movement of elephants normal, providing assistance to farmers who have suffered crop losses, declaring Sherpur as a tourist district, ensuring the prevention of human and elephant deaths, bringing those who destroy forests by setting fires in forests under punishment and stopping illegal sand, clay extraction and tree felling.

Speakers at the human chain said that when elephants destroy crops and houses, people kill elephants and in turn the forest department and local police file cases against them. They called for getting rid of the cycle.

Mahfuzuddin Ahmed, coordinator of Sherpur Zila Unnayan Sangram Parishad said, "The border residents of the hilly areas of Jhenaigati, Nalitabari and Shreerbordi in Sherpur are spending sleepless nights. A herd of 50-60 elephants has been residing in the Batkuchi hill of Nalitabari's Madhutila Ecopark for about two weeks.

"During the day, they hide in the forest, but at night they raid the fields in search of food. They go back to the forest when dawn breaks. They attack anyone they encounter."

He further said that it is urgent for the governments of India and Bangladesh to take permanent measures to put a stop to the situation.

"The Indian government or the Assam state government has not taken any steps in this regard so far. Our demand is that the Indian government should also compensate the families of the deceased," he added.

Bangladesh Socialist Party Joint General Secretary Razequzzaman Ratan and Sherpur Zilla Unnayan Sangram Parishad Joint Coordinator Advocate Muhammad Manirujjaman among others also spoke at the event.