Habitat protection, public awareness key to elephant conservation: Rizwana
Published: 20 August 2025, 5:45:24
Environment, Forest and Climate Change Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan emphasized the urgent need to protect natural elephant habitats and raise public awareness for effective elephant conservation.
Speaking at a discussion held at Forest Department headquarters on the occasion of World Elephant Day on Wednesday, she highlighted the importance of planting elephant-friendly trees, preserving migration corridors, conducting population surveys and implementing effective measures to mitigate human-elephant conflicts.
Rizwana Hasan noted that controlling captive elephants, educating rural communities and ensuring sustainable habitats are critical steps.
She announced a special project aimed at elephant conservation that includes the development of food plantations on 350 hectares, bamboo groves on 50 hectares and enhanced protection of planted vegetation.
To address human-elephant conflict, 10 kilometers of ecological boundary fencing will be built using thorny plant species like cane, lemon and jujube.
Additionally, Elephant Response Teams (ERT), Anti-Depredation Squads (ADS) and Elephant Rescue Teams will be deployed in areas adjacent to designated elephant reserves.
The project also includes the construction of 16 tree towers for elephant movement monitoring and the establishment of two rescue centers in Gazipur and Dulahazara Safari Parks.
Temporary treatment shelters for injured elephants will be built in Sylhet, Chattogram, Rangamati and Sherpur.
The initiative also includes anthropological and environmental impact assessments to understand the effects of human activity and climate change on elephant behavior.
An elephant sanctuary covering 10 acres will be created at Chunati in Chattogram, for the rehabilitation of captive elephants.
The event was presided over by Chief Conservator of Forests Md Amir Hossain Chowdhury.
Notable attendees included Additional Secretary of Environment Ministry Md Khairul Hasan, renowned wildlife expert Dr. Mohammad Ali Reza Khan, Professor Dr. M Monirul H Khan of Jahangirnagar University’s Zoology Department and other forestry and wildlife conservation officials.
