Unregulated electricity connections in Sherpur’s Garo Hills are blamed for elephant deaths and habitat loss. Conservationists urge action against illegal settlers and power syndicates to protect biodiversity.
Unregulated electricity connections in the Garo Hills of Sherpur are fueling a wildlife crisis, with reports linking the practice to the deaths of more than 20 elephants and widespread disruption of local habitats. The situation in the Garo Hills underscores the delicate balance between human settlement, infrastructure development and wildlife conservation.
Experts and activists warn that unless immediate measures are taken to regulate electricity distribution and prevent illegal occupation of forestland, Bangladesh risks losing a vital component of its biodiversity.
Syeda Rizwana Hasan, advisor to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and the Ministry of Water Resources, emphasized the need to remove illegal settlers before addressing electricity connections. “First, the unauthorized occupants must be cleared,” she said during a recent visit to the area.
Local residents confirm the environmental degradation. Sanchoy Mr. Marak, a longtime resident, said, “We used to see tigers, monkeys, deer, wild pigs, squirrels, pheasants and parrots across these hills. Today, bright lights from illegal connections have erased the forest and the wildlife has vanished.”
According to the Sherpur Forest Department, of the district’s 19,275 acres of forestland, 2,037 acres have been encroached. Sanjida Jerin, joint secretary of Save the Wildlife and Nature (SWAN), warned that electricity in forest areas is destroying habitats and threatening biodiversity. “Elephants have been electrocuted in recent years. Immediate action is needed against the syndicate supplying these connections,” she said.
Conservationists allege that a corrupt network within the rural electrification system is providing unauthorized power connections to illegal settlers in forested areas in exchange for extra payments. These connections, often installed without verifying land ownership, have not only caused elephant deaths due to electric shocks but are also driving tigers, deer, wild pigs and numerous bird species from their natural habitats.
Environmentalists are calling for urgent government intervention, including the removal of illegal occupants, halting unauthorized electricity connections and restoring forest habitats to protect remaining wildlife and preserve biodiversity in the Garo Hills.
“Twenty-five years ago, the Garo Hills were dense forests teeming with wildlife,” said Adnan Azad, president of the Bangladesh Animal Welfare Association. “Now, illegal houses and electricity are pushing wildlife toward extinction.”
Professor Dr. Ahmad Kamruzzaman Majumdar, chairman of the Atmospheric Pollution Study Center, confirmed the link between electricity and elephant deaths. “Most elephant fatalities in the area occurred due to electric shocks from unauthorized connections,” he said.
In response, Moinuddin Ahmed, general manager of Sherpur’s Rural Electrification Association, said electricity connections could be disconnected if the Forest Department requests. He also promised to investigate allegations that unauthorized connections were provided in exchange for extra payments.
