Dozens of migratory birds died after entering lighting poles at Benapole Port, exposing electrical negligence and prompting calls for investigation, accountability and wildlife-safe infrastructure upgrades across Bangladesh’s busiest trade hub.
In a shocking incident highlighting critical infrastructure and environmental oversights, scores of birds were electrocuted at the cargo yard of Benapole Land Port, one of Bangladesh’s busiest trade gateways. Experts and locals have blamed engineering negligence and unsafe design for the fatalities.
On Sunday morning (18 January 2026), port workers discovered nearly 30 dead birds inside an unlocked electrical junction box beneath a high-mast industrial lighting pole. Additional carcasses were found near other lamp posts throughout the yard, raising alarm among port staff and local residents.
Eyewitnesses say most victims appear to be migratory Indian Rollers (Coracias benghalensis), locally known as Ababil birds. The birds, drawn to the warmth and illumination of the high-mast lights during cold winter nights, sought shelter in the poles’ hollow sections. Exposed wiring, unlocked junction boxes and inadequate insulation turned these roosts into deadly traps.
International standards for industrial lighting in wildlife-prone areas require sealed junction boxes, insulated cabling and protective designs to prevent accidental electrocutions. Critics say the port has failed to meet even basic safety protocols.
Local leaders and conservationists are calling for an independent investigation, urgent retrofitting of all high-mast lights to make them wildlife-safe and strict enforcement of electrical safety standards.
When contacted, Benapole Land Port Director Shammim Hossain Reza appeared to downplay the issue, stating, “I heard about this a few days ago. I will send a formal letter from Dhaka tomorrow.” His response has fueled frustration among residents demanding immediate accountability and corrective action.
The incident has drawn attention beyond Benapole, sparking broader calls for integrating wildlife protection into industrial and infrastructure planning across Bangladesh, a crucial step to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
“High-security facilities like Benapole Port must have wildlife-safe, code-compliant electrical installations. What we are seeing is negligence that has cost innocent lives,” said Sohanur Rahman, executive coordinator of YouthNet Global.
