Nihar Koli, Samrat Bahadur return to Safari Park after abuse allegations
The Forest Department has placed the elephants under close observation and formed a medical board to assess their health following concerns over their treatment and reported injuries.
For the past several days, two elephants - Nihar Koli and Samrat Bahadur - have been at the centre of concern among wildlife officials and conservationists after allegations surfaced that the animals were being abused and used for commercial purposes in violation of the conditions under which they had been placed in private custody.
The two elephants are now back at Gazipur Safari Park.
Acting on a special directive from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, the Forest Department yesterday (24 August) recovered the elephants from private custody after allegations of inhumane treatment and commercial exploitation were found to have merit.
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The two are currently under close observation at the safari park.
Tofazzal Hossain, public relations officer of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, said the two elephants had been handed over to two individuals from Gazipur Safari Park on 12 August under specific conditions.
But within days of the handover, allegations emerged that the conditions had been violated.
When the matter came to the attention of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Abdul Awal Mintoo, he immediately ordered measures to ensure the safety of the elephants.
Although the minister is currently in Mongolia attending the COP-17 conference, he has been overseeing the recovery operation from there.
His instruction, according to ministry officials, was clear: there would be no compromise when it came to the safety and welfare of wildlife, and legal action would be taken if the conditions of custody were violated.
A troubled history
Nihar Koli and Samrat Bahadur were previously privately owned. Around two years ago, the elephants were rescued and taken to Gazipur Safari Park following allegations that they had been used to extort money from members of the public, among other complaints.
Later, their previous owners took the elephants back into their custody after agreeing not to use them for extortion and accepting several other conditions.
That arrangement lasted only days before concerns resurfaced.
According to Forest Department officials, Samrat Bahadur, the male elephant, was rescued from near the Latitila Reserved Forest adjacent to Shiluah Tea Garden in Juri upazila of Moulvibazar.
When officials found him, the elephant was being used for heavy work, including pulling logs from inside the forest.
Saad Uddin Ahmed, range officer in Juri, said Samrat Bahadur was extremely exhausted and thirsty when he was rescued. The elephant had walked around 7–8 kilometres and was left severely fatigued.
More worrying were the injuries found on his body.
Local forest officials said mahouts would hit the elephant with sharp metal objects when it refused to follow instructions while working.
Abdur Rouf, the mahout responsible for the elephant, however, claimed that the wounds had been caused by thorns from lemon trees while the elephant was moving through the forest. Initial observations, however, have raised questions over the claim.
Nihar Koli, the female elephant, was rescued separately from the Rajkandi Reserved Forest area in Kamalganj upazila of Moulvibazar.
A journey back to safety
The rescue operation involved a five-member team from Gazipur Safari Park.
Tarek Rahman, acting officer of Gazipur Safari Park, said the team left for Sylhet at around 2pm yesterday (24 August).
One of the elephants reached the safari park at around 4am today (25 August), while the other arrived at around 9:30am.
"The elephants have been kept in special sheds after the long journey," Tarek said.
Tofazzal Hossain said a specialised medical board has been formed to assess the health of both elephants after their return to the safari park.
Veterinary officials will closely monitor the animals while ensuring their treatment and dietary needs, he added.
Chief Conservator of Forests Md Amir Hossain Chowdhury said officials acted swiftly following the minister's instructions.
He said similar strict operations would continue in the future to protect wildlife.
A warning for those entrusted with wildlife
In a statement, Environment Minister Abdul Awal Mintoo reiterated the government's commitment to ensuring the welfare and safety of wildlife.
He warned that strict action would be taken against any individual or organisation that mistreats animals placed in their custody or violates the legal conditions attached to that custody.
The return of Nihar Koli and Samrat Bahadur to the Safari Park is being viewed by nature lovers and environmentalists as an important step in the country's wildlife conservation efforts.
The hope now is that the rescue of the two elephants will help prevent the misuse of elephants and other wildlife entrusted to private individuals in the future.
