Khorshed Alam, Sherpur

Thirty years of escalating human-elephant conflict across the Garo Hills border region of Sherpur district has driven local authorities to formulate plans for a dedicated elephant sanctuary and permanent food forest, following the deaths of 34 humans and 31 wild elephants since 2014.

The decision was finalized during a day-long seminar organized by the Sherpur District Wildlife Conservation Department at the Jhenaigati Upazila Parishad auditorium on Saturday, September 12, 2026. Presided over by Sherpur District Magistrate and Deputy Commissioner Farida Yasmin, the seminar featured Member of Parliament for Sherpur-3 Md. Mahmudul Haq Rubel as chief guest, alongside forest officials, police, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) representatives, Elephant Response Team (ERT) members, and local community leaders.

Despite multi-million taka interventions deployed since 1996—including a 15-kilometer solar fencing system set up in 2014, specialized indigenous tree plantations across Tawakucha and Balijuri forest ranges, and 10 Elephant Response Teams across 40 kilometers of border terrain—the crisis remains unresolved. Local residents report that the solar fencing has fallen into disrepair and the ERTs lack adequate equipment. Meanwhile, extensive forest encroachment—ranging between 2,000 and 5,000 acres of the 21,000-acre forest territory—has disrupted natural migration corridors, forcing wild herds into nearby villages in search of food.

Authorities and wildlife experts at the September 12 seminar agreed that clearing illegal forest encroachments, rehabilitating local inhabitants, establishing protected corridors, and providing timely compensation to affected farmers are essential to ending the deadly conflict and ensuring peaceful coexistence.