Dhaka, April 20 -- Elephant killings continue unabated across Bangladesh, with 18 elephants reported dead over the past six months - most under suspicious circumstances.

This surge in fatalities, many involving signs of poaching, marks an alarming and unprecedented trend in the country's wildlife conservation efforts.

Between 1980 and 2000, Bangladesh's elephant population declined from 380 to just 268. Despite this significant drop, no national survey on wild elephants has been conducted since 2016.

The Forest Department also lacks data on privately owned elephants, underscoring a broader absence of systematic monitoring and oversight.

Forest Department insiders, speaking on condition of anonymity, claim that no effective measures ar...