Staff Correspondent

Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Abdul Awal Mintoo, MP, on Wednesday stressed the urgent need for collective, multi-stakeholder efforts to secure a safe future for elephants in Bangladesh.

Speaking as the chief guest at a discussion organized by the Forest Department at its conference room in Agargaon to mark World Elephant Day 2026, the minister noted that government initiatives alone are insufficient to address the crisis. He urged local communities, field-level forest officials, non-governmental organizations, researchers, youth, and media personnel to actively participate in conservation efforts.

This year's World Elephant Day was observed under the global theme "Bringing the world together to help elephants." The primary objective of the day is to raise public awareness about conserving elephants and their habitats to ensure a secure future for the species.

The minister emphasized that protecting natural elephant habitats extends beyond safeguarding a single species, as it plays a critical role in preserving forests, broader biodiversity, and the long-term well-being of human populations.

Highlighting the declining elephant population due to habitat loss, deforestation, illegal poaching, and wildlife crime, Minister Mintoo shared that a 2015 survey recorded 268 resident wild elephants, 93 migratory wild elephants, and 96 captive elephants in the country. He announced that a new national elephant census is scheduled to be conducted by 2027.

Under the Bangladesh Elephant Conservation Action Plan (2018–2027), the government has identified 40 priority actions currently being implemented through various projects.

Addressing human-elephant conflicts, the minister outlined compensation provided under the Wildlife Damage Compensation Rules 2021. The guidelines allocate Tk 3 lakh to families of deceased victims, up to Tk 1 lakh for injured individuals, and up to Tk 50,000 for property and crop losses. Between 2012 and June 2026, the government disbursed approximately Tk 13.77 crore in compensation across 322 deceased victims' families, 169 injured persons, and 3,215 households affected by crop and property damage.

To mitigate human-elephant conflicts locally, 159 Elephant Response Teams (ERT) have been deployed across high-risk areas.

Attending as a special guest, MP for Sherpur-3 Mahmudul Haq Rubel presented data on elephant attacks and compensation issues in his constituency. Special Assistant to the Prime Minister for Environment, Forest, and Climate Change Dr. Md. Saimum Parvez emphasized the crucial ecological role elephants play in maintaining biodiversity and supporting human existence.

Acting Secretary of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Dr. Fahmida Khanam highlighted that elephants are endangered globally and called for collaborative funding from domestic and international organizations to supplement government efforts.

Chaired by Chief Conservator of Forests Md. Amir Hosain Chowdhury, the meeting also featured a presentation on elephant conservation data by Dr. Md. Abdul Motaleb, Acting Executive Director of Arannayk Foundation.