Myself and three of my former students-cum-researchers (Anisuzzaman Khan, SMA Rashid and Mohsinuzzzaman Chowdhury), who are at present working at the IUCN-Dhaka chapter, studied elephants in the Pablakhali and other areas of the greater CHT and Sylhet districts during the 1970s, early 1980s and late 1990s. We often came face to face with elephants. But neither had we harmed them nor did the elephants harm us.

Once Rashid and I took shelter on a tree as a herd of elephants started following the bridal path we were using. The elephants stopped just under our tree. They soon started rubbing their bodies against the same lanky tree we were on. We were forced to shout at full throat and throw our caps toward the elephants. It scared them and they ran for their lives screaming. We could not believe the elephants could be so scared. It was a scene to be seen and cherished for lifetime experience.

I strongly feel that we must start environmental and wildlife conservation awareness campaign to enlighten our men and women in uniform immediately; so that they realise the value of declining natural wealth and how to save them from extinction instead of becoming a party to its destruction.

I request the ministry of environment and forest, home and defence to sit together and chalk out programmes with the assistance of national, regional and international NGOs and agencies.

Dr. Mohammad Ali Reza Khan: Former Member of Asian Elephant Specialist Group of IUCN and current member of World Commission of Protected Areas -- the WORLD Conservation Union, Switzerland

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Did our trigger-happy BDR personnel know anything about the law of the land? Or he thought government has given him the license to kill? How cruel one has to be to fire 50 bullets to a wild animal? My heart broke to see the dead animal's picture on the newspaper. Few days back, we saw Dhaka zoo staff members being handed over tough punishment for killing animals in the zoo. They were mostly from the lower segment of the society.

But in case of this poor elephant, the reason was different. The defaulter himself is the custodian of law. He should be handed over tougher punishment; so that others take a lesson out of this incident. Through this letter I would like to let the readers know that there are good people too. A river dolphin was rescued by the tourists in a sanctuary in Kotka on 9th October 2003. Government should brief BDR and Armed Forces personnel about the Wildlife Act of 1974.

This may be the first time we came to know about this gruesome act, but it is very common for the armed forces personnel to keep endangered animals as pet. Government should take immediate steps to release those animals or make sure the animals get the treatment they deserve in captivity.

Crocodile Farmer, On e-mail