Gazipur: Two elephants, Nihar Kali and Samrat Bahadur, have been returned to the custody of the Forest Department due to alleged breaches of the conditions under which they were previously handed over to their owners. The elephants were brought to Gazipur Safari Park for rehabilitation on Monday night, as confirmed by Tarek Rahman, the acting officer of the Safari Park and Assistant Conservator of Forests.
According to United News of Bangladesh, Nihar Kali, a female elephant, was taken into custody from Sreemangal in Moulvibazar, while the male elephant, Samrat Bahadur, was retrieved from an area near Shiluya Tea Garden in Juri upazila. The transfer of the elephants to Gazipur Safari Park occurred under the strict supervision of the Forest Department.
The elephants had been previously handed over to their owners under specific conditions. However, allegations surfaced that these conditions were not adhered to, prompting Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Abdul Awal Mintoo to order the elephants’ return to Forest Department custody.
In 2024, an incident involving Samrat Bahadur led to the death of mahout Nazrul Islam, who was crushed under the elephant’s feet. Additionally, there were claims that both elephants were being exploited for monetary collection and subjected to mistreatment. These incidents resulted in the Forest Department initially rescuing the elephants and placing them under their care.
Following a request from the owners, the Forest Department returned the elephants on August 12 with several conditions in place. However, upon receiving reports of violations of these conditions, authorities have once again taken the elephants back into custody.