Two elephants die in safari park, then 'Samrat-Niharkoli' returned

After two elephants died within a day at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Safari Park in Gazipur's Sreepur, the Forest Department has returned two more elephants named 'Samrat' and 'Niharkoli' to their caretakers. The two elephants were handed over as per the rules on August 12.

Earlier, an adult elephant died of a bacterial infection on August 6 and another elephant named 'Raju Bahadur' died while undergoing treatment on August 7. Raju Bahadur was seriously injured in an attack by another elephant and was undergoing treatment for about two and a half months. Experts were also brought from Thailand for his treatment.

The Forest Department said that 'Samrat' was rescued and kept in the safari park after the mahout was killed in 2024. 'Niharkoli' was rescued from Bhulta in Narayanganj the same year. After being in the park for almost two years, the two elephants were returned on the application of the caretakers with a surety bond of 300 taka.

The forest department says that the return of the two elephants has nothing to do with the deaths of two elephants in the park in a row. However, the deaths of two elephants at the same time and the return of two more elephants within a few days have raised questions about the park's wildlife management and security. The matter will become clearer only after the report of the dead elephant's sample test and a detailed explanation from the authorities.