Invasion into elephant territory fuels tusker-human conflict in Deyang Hills

The historical Deyang Hills, located on the southern bank of the Karnaphuli River in Chattogram, are home to wild Asian elephants. For centuries, these majestic creatures have roamed the hills. However, recent unplanned human settlements and industrial developments have disrupted their habitat, leading to increased human-elephant conflicts. Elephants are being forced out of their natural corridors, and the results are deadly.

Tensions rise after recent tragedies 

The conflict between humans and elephants escalated recently when three people were killed in separate incidents involving wild elephant attacks. On September 23, Dulal, a resident of Guapanchak Guchchagram in Bairag Union, was killed by an elephant. His neighbour, Rehena Akhtar, also died after suffering a heart attack from the shock of seeing an elephant near her home. Earlier, on September 11, a farmer named Mohammad Sayed was killed in a similar attack in Daulatpur, Karnaphuli Upazila.

These tragic incidents have left villagers living in fear, especially in areas surrounding the Deyang Hills. Every night, herds of elephants raid villages, searching for food. Desperate villagers try to ward them off by banging drums, lighting torches, and bursting firecrackers. Despite their efforts, the situation remains dire.

Residents and authorities from the Korean Export Processing Zone (KEPZ), which is built flattening the Deyang Hills, are demanding the removal of the elephants. However, wildlife experts insist that relocating these wild elephants is not feasible. “Deyang Hills are the ancestral home of these elephants," explains Professor MA Aziz of Jahangirnagar University’s Zoology Department. "It is not possible to remove them as they have lived here for generations.”

A struggle over land and habitat 

The Deyang Hills have long been an elephant corridor, stretching from Chunti Sanctuary through Anwara and Banshkhali. Human encroachment on the elephants' habitat is the root cause of the conflict. Over the past few years, 2400 acres of hilly land in the Bara Uthan Union of Karnaphuli Upazila were allotted to KEPZ, displacing the elephants from large parts of their habitat.

The KEPZ authorities have been urging the government to remove the elephants, citing the safety of the 25,000 workers, including foreign nationals, who work in the export processing zone. 

In the past three years, 10 people have been killed in the KEPZ area due to elephant attacks, and the company claims to have suffered significant financial losses.

KEPZ’s Deputy General Manager Mushfiqur Rahman stated, "We’ve sent 22 letters to various government departments requesting the removal of the elephants. If the situation persists, it will pose a threat to this international-standard export processing zone."

The cost of invasion into nature 

The rapid development of the KEPZ area has been devastating for the local wildlife. A significant portion of Deyang Hills has been flattened for industrial projects, further shrinking the elephants' habitat. Villagers near the hills also report increasing elephant raids on their homes and fields. In the last 12 years, 15 people have died, and hundreds have been injured in elephant attacks in Karnaphuli and Anwara upazilas. Yet, villagers feel they are not receiving adequate compensation for the damages.

According to Rafiqul Islam Chowdhury, Divisional Officer of the Forest Department’s Wildlife Management and Nature Conservation Division, "Elephants are not invading human space; humans have encroached on the elephants’ home. Out of the 2,400 acres of land allotted to KEPZ, 466 acres were supposed to remain a protected forest, yet much of it has been destroyed for development. This has left the elephants with no choice but to move into nearby human settlements."

Rafiqul also warned of the dangers of attempting to forcibly remove the elephants. “Past efforts to drive them out have led to increased aggression. The elephants often return and attack human settlements.”

On the ground: A growing fear 

A visit to the affected areas, including Guapanchak village and KEPZ, reveals the extent of the problem. Elephant footprints crisscross the fields, and several homes and crops have been destroyed. Villagers like Abdur Rahim, a farmer who lost his crop to elephant raids, feel abandoned. “The elephants have ruined everything, and we are not receiving proper compensation,” Rahim lamented.

The Korean EPZ has constructed an iron fence around a one-kilometre stretch near Guapanchak village in an effort to keep elephants out. Meanwhile, new houses and industrial facilities continue to spring up around the Deyang Hills, further squeezing the elephants out of their habitat.

A complex solution needed 

Efforts to address the issue are underway. The Chattogram deputy commissioner has called a meeting to discuss the situation, with KEPZ representatives expected to push once again for the removal of the elephants. However, environmentalists and local activists emphasise the need for a more thoughtful, long-term approach.

Wildlife journalist Aminul Islam Mithu, who has been advocating for the preservation of elephant corridors, notes that “scientific public awareness campaigns and habitat preservation measures are essential.” 

He added, “Instead of protecting the elephant corridors, more human settlements and industrial zones are being built. This only exacerbates the conflict.”

The path forward 

Despite the growing pressure from industrial interests, experts argue that the solution lies in coexistence. Professor Aziz of Jahangirnagar University suggests that protecting the remaining habitat and restoring some of the lost corridors could reduce human-elephant conflicts. He also calls for immediate measures to identify and preserve elephant hotspots.

As the human-elephant conflict in Deyang Hills intensifies, it is clear that without comprehensive and sustainable intervention, both elephants and humans will continue to suffer. The ongoing struggle highlights a broader challenge facing many parts of the world, where rapid development is pushing wildlife to the brink.