A Sherpur farmer died after a wild elephant attack in a protected forest, underscoring intensifying human-elephant conflict as people enter reserves for survival amid habitat loss and cross-border elephant movement.
A 65-year-old farmer was killed after being trampled by a wild elephant while collecting firewood inside a protected forest in northern Bangladesh, highlighting the growing human-elephant conflict in forest-adjacent border areas.
The incident occurred around midday on Wednesday in the Chhoto Balijhuri hills of Ranishimul Union, under Sreebardi Upazila in Sherpur District. The victim, Ahmed Ali, locally known as Batalu, was a resident of Malakocha village and the son of the late Kanai Sheikh.
Human-elephant conflict has intensified in northern Bangladesh as shrinking forest habitats, cross-border elephant movement from India and livelihood pressures push both people and wildlife into closer contact. Communities living near forests often enter protected areas to collect firewood or forest resources, increasing the risk of fatal encounters.
According to the Forest Department, a herd of approximately 30 to 35 wild elephants has been roaming the Chhoto Balijhuri area under the Balijhuri Sadar Beat for several days. On Wednesday morning, Ahmed Ali and two or three others entered the reserved forest area to collect firewood. At one stage, the elephant herd suddenly charged, trampling Ahmed Ali, while the others managed to escape.
Forest officials and local residents later rescued him and rushed him to the Sreebardi Upazila Health Complex, where on-duty doctors declared him dead.
Mohammad Suman Mia, an officer of the Balijhuri Range under the Mymensingh Forest Division, said the Bangladesh Forest Department provides compensation in cases of human deaths or crop losses caused by wild elephants. “We have learned about Ahmed Ali’s death from local residents and the matter will be processed according to existing rules,” he said.
Confirming the incident, Sreebardi Upazila Nirbahi Officer Manisha Ahmed said the local administration would assist the victim’s family after receiving a formal application.
The latest death follows a similar incident on December 15, when Faruk Hossain, a local content creator, was killed by a wild elephant while filming in the Sonajhuri hills of the Balijhuri area, underscoring a troubling pattern of deadly encounters between humans and wild elephants in the region.
