A jumbo drawback: Why India and Bangladesh are at loggerheads over an elephant?

An elephant might always remember, however relating to Chandratara, two nations definitely received’t let her story fade both.

This majestic elephant, who wandered via dense jungles, now finds herself on the coronary heart of a heated tug-of-war between India and Bangladesh. The dispute centres round a cross-border possession declare that has drawn consideration on each side of the border.

Atikur Rahman, a Bangladeshi citizen, asserts that Chandratara belongs to him. Nonetheless, his declare is being challenged by two Indians, who’ve come ahead with comparable assertions. The elephant’s destiny now hangs within the steadiness because the matter awaits a listening to in a neighborhood court docket.

However how did Chandratara’s extraordinary journey lead up to now? Right here’s what we all know thus far.

The origin of the dispute

Chandratara’s story started when she reportedly wandered via the jungles in the hunt for meals and, unintentionally, crossed the border into Indian territory.

The elephant was found on 11 September final 12 months close to a border village near western Kailashahar in Tripura’s Unakoti district. She had handed via an unsecured space, finally being noticed by personnel from the Border Safety Drive (BSF).

Atikur Rahman, a Bangladeshi resident from Moulvibazar, claimed the elephant as his personal, suggesting she had strayed into India out of confusion. Nonetheless, the state of affairs took a sophisticated flip when two Indian villagers additionally claimed possession of Chandratara.

“After being knowledgeable by BSF that an elephant was roaming alongside the border, we rescued her. Instantly, two villagers claimed possession, however weren’t in a position to give proof. We took the elephant into custody after that,” a senior Indian wildlife official advised The Occasions of India.

Listening to this, Atikur acted swiftly. He despatched pictures and possession paperwork to the BSF and the Tripura Forest Division via his kin, Unhappy Mia and Shimu Ahmed, who’re Indian residents.

Anticipating the authorized challenges forward, Atikur lodged a Common Diary (GD) with the Kamalganj Police Station in Bangladesh. He additionally escalated the matter by submitting a proper criticism with the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) headquarters.

The authorized battle

Following Atikur Rahman’s criticism, a flag assembly was held between the Border Safety Drive (BSF) and the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB). Throughout the dialogue, Atikur offered legitimate paperwork to assist his possession declare over Chandratara, stories The Assam Tribune.

Nonetheless, attributable to authorized issues and the elephant being within the custody of the Tripura Forest Division, the BSF was unable to facilitate her return to Bangladesh.

With no decision achieved, the matter has now been taken to a court docket in Tripura’s Unakoti district, the place the case is ready to be heard on January 21. Saleh Ahmed, a relative of Atikur, has initiated authorized proceedings on his behalf to hunt the elephant’s return.

At the moment, Chandratara is being housed at an elephant camp in Mungiakami, in keeping with a senior wildlife official. “The elephant is secure,” the official advised The Occasions of India.

For Atikur, life with out Chandratara feels incomplete. He stays longing for a reunion along with his beloved elephant.

“India is a superb nation, and I’ve immense respect for the regulation of this land,” Atikur mentioned in a video message. “I belief the authorized complexities will quickly be resolved, and I can be reunited with my elephant.”

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Dwindling elephant inhabitants

The inhabitants of untamed elephants in Bangladesh has dramatically declined lately, with the species now listed as critically endangered.

Based on a BBC report, solely about 200 elephants stay within the nation, and almost half of them are in captivity. As soon as a thriving habitat for Asian elephants, Bangladesh has witnessed a pointy decline of their numbers attributable to poaching and habitat loss.

In a major transfer to guard these endangered animals, the Bangladesh Excessive Courtroom granted authorized protections to the wild elephant inhabitants final 12 months. The choice goals to stop exploitation and guarantee higher conservation practices.

Beforehand, younger elephants had been typically captured and licensed to logging corporations, the place they had been used to haul timber. Some had been even bought to circuses, enduring harsh situations. The Excessive Courtroom deemed these practices unlawful, highlighting violations of licensing phrases and the unethical remedy of the animals.

Rakibul Haque Emil, head of the Individuals for Animal Welfare (PAW) Basis in Bangladesh, described the court docket’s resolution as a “landmark order.”

“Within the title of coaching elephants, personal licensees, together with circus events, brutally separate elephant calves from their moms, shackle them for months, and torture them to show tips,” Emil advised the BBC.

He additionally expressed the inspiration’s dedication to rehabilitating captive elephants.

“A number of international locations in Asia reminiscent of Thailand and Nepal have discovered some success in rehabilitating captive elephants,” he mentioned. “We will do it right here.”

With enter from companies