Woman Killed in Sundarbans Crocodile Attack

A woman has died following a crocodile attack in the Shyala River in the Sundarbans after she was dragged into the water while collecting shrimp fry. The incident occurred on Wednesday afternoon near the Shyala River, situated between Joymoni village in Mongla upazila of Bagerhat and the Sundarbans forest area.

The deceased was identified as Selina Begum (50). She was the wife of Abdul Sheikh from Joymoni village in Ward No. 9 under Chila Union of Mongla upazila.

According to the Forest Department and local sources, Selina Begum had been collecting shrimp fry using a net along with two other female fishers in the river near the launch ghat area. At approximately 5:40 pm, a crocodile suddenly emerged from the water and attempted to drag her towards the middle of the river. The attack occurred while she and the two other women were engaged in pulling nets used for collecting fish fry.

In response to the attack, the two women accompanying her tried to defend Selina Begum by striking the crocodile with wooden sticks used in fishing operations. After repeated blows, the crocodile eventually released her and submerged back into the water. Despite being freed from the animal, Selina Begum was found to have died shortly afterwards.

Local residents later recovered her body from the river at around 6:00 pm the same evening.

Md. Hamidur Rahman, station officer of the Chandpai Range under the Sundarbans East Forest Division, confirmed the sequence of events. He stated that while fishing fry using nets, the woman was dragged by a crocodile. He added that fellow fishers attempted to strike the reptile with sticks, eventually forcing it to release her, although she had already died by the time she was recovered. He also noted that although shrimp fry collection is prohibited in the Sundarbans, the activity was being carried out illegally.

The incident highlights the continued risks faced by people entering forest-adjacent river areas for fishing-related activities, particularly in zones inhabited by wild crocodiles. The Shyala River area, located along the boundary between settlements and the Sundarbans mangrove forest, is frequently used by local communities engaged in small-scale fishing and fry collection, despite regulatory restrictions.

Incident Summary