Environment, Forest and Climate Change Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan said the government is working to mitigate human-elephant conflicts.
“The government is working towards a permanent solution to the human-elephant conflicts. We must be patient,” she said while addressing a cheque distribution ceremony at Madhutila Ecopark in Sherpur, where compensation was handed over to victims of human-elephant conflicts on Monday.
The environment adviser said humans are occupying the elephants' natural habitats, leading to a decrease in their food sources.
“Instead of planting eucalyptus and other foreign species, we must plant native trees that provide food for elephants,” she said.
She further emphasised that the lives of elephants are as important as human lives.
“We must restore our forests. The government is not an adversary, but a supporter. If natural forests are destroyed, we too will suffer. We must replace commercial tree plantations with natural forests,” Rizwana said.
She instructed the district administration and forest department to jointly prepare an integrated action plan to resolve the conflict sustainably.
Presided over by Chief Conservator of Forests Md Amir Hosain Chowdhury, the function was addressed by internationally renowned wildlife expert Professor Dr Mohammad Ali Reza Khan as keynote speaker.
Sherpur Deputy Commissioner Torafdar Mahmudur Rahman, Conservator of Forests of the Central Region A.S.M. Zahid Uddin Akon, Conservator of Forests for Wildlife and Nature Conservation Md. Sanaullah Patwari, BGB Commander Lt. Col. Tanvir Hossain Majumder, and ERT members Imtiaz Ali and Mohammad Hasmat Ali were also present.
At the event, Adviser Rizwana handed over a total of Taka 600,000 to the families of two persons killed by elephants, while Taka 327,000 to 15 families for crop and property damage.
Additionally, she distributed binoculars, torch lights, hand loudspeakers, whistles, and other essential gears among members of the Elephant Response Team (ERT).
Earlier, the adviser visited the Daudhara Garo Hills Tourist Center in Nalitabari upazila and the long-term plantation project under Madhutila Range for the fiscal 2017–18.
Since 2014, compensation totaling Taka 9.1 million has been provided to the families of 45 deceased people, Taka 1.041 million to 34 injured persons, and Taka 16.884 million to 906 families for crop and property damage.
In total, Taka 27.025 million has been disbursed to 985 affected individuals.
