RAJBARI — Crowds have been gathering daily from far and wide to see a crocodile sighted in the Padma River in the Urakanda area of Borat Union in Rajbari sadar upazila. The presence of people of all ages has heightened curiosity in the area and also raised fears.
Forest officials have put up a warning sign on the bank of the Padma at Urakanda on behalf of the acting officer of the Rajbari Social Forestry Nursery and Training Center. Forest department staff are also stationed there.
On Thursday around 10:30 a.m., the river-facing side of the No. 28 government primary school on the bank of the Padma was found enclosed with bamboo and plastic netting. A large warning sign next to the school noted recent sightings of crocodiles in the river. It also told people to refrain from bathing, swimming, fishing, washing cattle and other activities at the river.
Delowar Hossain, a Rajbari forest department employee, occasionally cautions the crowd to keep people from bathing in the river or washing clothes on the riverbank.
Jahangir Alam, assistant teacher at Urakanda government primary school and an eyewitness, said:
“On Tuesday around 3 p.m., students saw a crocodile and started shouting. Hearing the shouts, I ran to the riverbank and saw the crocodile. We think the crocodile is large. Algae has grown on its body. I took photos and video of the crocodile on my mobile phone.”
Momin Mollah, a local grocer, said: “On Tuesday afternoon, hearing the schoolchildren shouting, I went to the riverbank and saw a crocodile that looked like a log. I haven’t seen the crocodile since on Wednesday and today. But I have not bathed in the river for two days out of fear. Many people in the area, like me, are not going into the river out of fear.”
Helal Sardar, who came from Rajbari town to see the crocodile, said: “I came after hearing the news that a crocodile was seen in the Padma River. It’s been a while, but I haven’t seen the crocodile yet.”
Sanjida Sultana, the assistant conservator of forests in charge of the Rajbari Social Forestry Nursery and Training Center, said: “In the dry season, crocodiles may come here in search of food. As the Padma is a flowing river, we cannot take any special measures. We have placed warning signs on the riverbank for public safety.”
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report