Uproar as legs, trunk severed for ‘meat’ from elephant carcass in Rangamati

Animal rights activists say the Forest Department was negligent in guarding the animal after its death

The legs and trunk of a male long-ailing elephant that died in Rangamati's Langadu Upazila have been cut off, an official says, fearing poachers did so to collect its "meat".

Chittagong Hill Tracts Divisional (north) Forest Officer Md Rafiquzzaman Shah confirmed the matter on Monday, after videos and photos of the severed carcass went viral on social media, triggering angry reactions.

He suspects the incident took place after Sunday evening, saying: "It rained at night. After the female elephant that was with the carcass moved away, unidentified poachers cut off the flesh of the legs and took away the trunk.

“We sent a team to the scene this [Monday] morning. They will bury the elephant after the autopsy,” he said, adding that a manhunt is under way for the poachers.

Animal lovers and rights activists alleged that the Forest Department was negligent in guarding the animal after its death on Sunday.

Activist Syeda Anannya Faria wrote on Facebook, "Where is the accountability of the Forest Department? Poachers have cut off the legs and trunk of an elephant that died [on Sunday] in Langadu, Rangamati.

“What could be more despicable than this?"

Citing the passage of the Wildlife (Conservation and Protection) Bill, 2026 in the parliament earlier this month, she questioned: "Who are so powerful that they came directly and cut off the trunk and legs without any hesitation?”

She alleged that the Elephant Response Team was not seen "acting responsibly" when locals intervened while a female elephant was mourning over the male one on Sunday, leading to the illegal amputations.

Faria said the Forest Department cannot avoid responsibility for what followed by citing “capacity crisis”.

Rakibul Haq Amil, founder of People for Animal Welfare Foundation, said the Forest Department cannot avoid responsibility for the removal of body parts.

“The Forest Department should have posted guards there until the elephant's postmortem was completed and the body was buried,” he said, demanding proper action against those responsible including relevant government employees.

According to the Forest Department, the elephant, aged around 65 years, had been sick for a long time.

When it first fell ill in 2024, the Forest Department and the Chattogram Veterinary and Animal Sciences University medical team treated it.

This year, it fell ill twice again before it was found dead.