Just a few decades ago, vast areas of Cox’s Bazar, Chattogram, and the hill tracts were roaming grounds for elephants. Herds would move between habitats in search of food, water, and breeding grounds. But the establishment of Rohingya settlements, military installations, border fences, landmines, and railway infrastructure has steadily shrunk their range.
The first major blow to elephant habitats came on 25 August, 2017, when Rohingya refugees took shelter in the deep forests of Ukhia and Teknaf. Around 10,000 acres of forest — identified as the primary habitat of elephants in Ukhia — was taken over to house about one million refugees.
In November 2023, the Dohazari–Cox’s Bazar railway line was launched through three forest areas of Chattogram and Cox’s Bazar, crossing 16 elephant crossing points and three migration corridors.
A 2016 survey by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) found that Bangladesh had 268 elephants in total. That same year, the IUCN listed elephants as critically endangered. According to the Forest Department, 146 elephants have died in the past nine years.
From 2013 to 2016, IUCN conducted a survey to identify elephant corridors in Bangladesh. The study titled ‘Atlas: Elephant Routes and Corridors in Bangladesh’ — identified 12 corridors in Cox’s Bazar and Chattogram, eight of them in Cox’s Bazar.
On Sunday afternoon, at the Jangalia area about 700 meters north of the Chunati Wildlife Sanctuary range office, the elephant overpass showed little sign of use. The banana plants and bamboo clusters planted as elephant food were untouched. No elephant footprints or droppings were visible. Instead, people were seen walking across the overpass, and cattle footprints were found at the entrance.
Abu Naser Mohammad Yasin Newaz, Divisional Forest Officer of the Chattogram Wildlife and Nature Conservation Division, told Prothom Alo, “Some of these 12 corridors have been occupied; others damaged by infrastructure. There’s no uninterrupted route for elephants anymore. Hundreds of fish farms, betel leaf plantations, and railway tracks have been built on the corridors. Saving elephants will require coordinated action from the administration, the Forest Department, and everyone involved.”
This year’s theme for World Elephant Day is "Matriarchs & Memories."
35 elephants trapped
Professor MA Aziz of the Department of Zoology at Jahangirnagar University said elephant herds once crossed into Myanmar through the Ghumdhum corridor in Bandarban via Naikhongchhari.
But in August 2017, after the Rohingya influx, a barbed-wire fence was built along the border, blocking the corridor. This left 35 elephants trapped in the Teknaf and Ukhia regions.
We are installing AI-powered cameras here. If elephants are detected within 50 meters on either side or 100 meters ahead, the train will stop automatically. In June, elephants crossed the overpass only twice. We’ve recorded more human than elephant use.ADB environmental consultant Asif Imran
Another corridor along the Rezu Canal in Cox’s Bazar has also been blocked — with military installations on one side and crocodile and fish farms on the other.
Professor Aziz added that the Chattogram–Cox’s Bazar railway was built through 27 km of forest. While one overpass and two underpasses were built for elephant movement, they were not constructed in an elephant-friendly way. One elephant has already been killed in a train collision.
He said elephants are now geographically isolated as corridors close. The Forest Department has launched a conservation project, but urgent field-level work is needed to address these crises.
How useful is the elephant overpass?
On Sunday afternoon, at the Jangalia area about 700 meters north of the Chunati Wildlife Sanctuary range office, the elephant overpass showed little sign of use.
The banana plants and bamboo clusters planted as elephant food were untouched. No elephant footprints or droppings were visible. Instead, people were seen walking across the overpass, and cattle footprints were found at the entrance.
Local residents Kaisar Khan and Nasir Uddin said they could not recall the last time elephants used it — certainly not in the past six months. Meanwhile, locals regularly use it to move cattle and goats.
The Dohazari–Cox’s Bazar railway project was funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB). ADB environmental consultant Asif Imran told Prothom Alo, “We are installing AI-powered cameras here. If elephants are detected within 50 meters on either side or 100 meters ahead, the train will stop automatically. In June, elephants crossed the overpass only twice. We’ve recorded more human than elephant use.”