Wild elephant kills 3-month-old baby in Chattogram’s Karnafuli

Following the attack, angry locals took to the streets, demanding the removal of wild elephants from the area

A three-month-old baby has been killed and his mother injured in a wild elephant attack in Chattogram's Karnafuli Upazila.

The incident occurred around 2am on Saturday in Shahmirpur village under Barauthan Union, according to Karnafuli Police Station chief Mohammad Sharif.

Following the attack, angry locals blocked the road on Saturday morning, demanding the removal of wild elephants from the area. The blockade affected traffic on the road connecting Chattogram and Anwara, police said.

The infant has been identified by a single name as Jawad. His mother, 30-year-old Khuzima Begum, is currently receiving treatment at Chattogram Medical College Hospital.

"A wild elephant broke into their house in Shahmirpur late at night. According to locals, the elephant hurled the child with its trunk, causing his death," said Sharif

He added that locals blocked the road near the Korean EPZ gate on the Anwara PAB road and discussions were ongoing to resolve the issue.

This was not the first such incident in the area. On Sept 11 last year, Mohammad Syed, a 55-year-old farmer, was killed by an elephant in Barauthan's Daulatpur.

Just days later, on Sept 23, two more people -- 60-year-old Md Kashem and 38-year-old Rehana Begum -- were killed in separate elephant attacks in Anwara Upazila.

For the past six years, a herd of wild elephants has been roaming the Deyang Hills, nearby lakes, and surrounding forest areas in Chattogram, causing extensive crop damage and claiming several lives. The herd moves across five unions in Karnafuli and Anwara Upazilas.

Local representatives say they have repeatedly appealed to the Forest Department to relocate the elephants, but the problem persists. The department has been providing compensation to victims' families and others affected by the elephant raids.

However, forest officials and experts explain that elephants are highly sensitive to obstructions along their traditional migratory routes, known as corridors. Since this area was historically their habitat, the herd refuses to leave.