The forest department has recovered body of a wild elephant from a paddy field in the hilly area of Sherpur's Jhenaigati upazila.

Md Makrul Islam, Rangtia range officer of the forest department, said they recovered the body of the adult male elephant after being informed by the locals.

In the last five months, corpses of two wild elephants have been recovered in the same area.

Locals say the elephant might have died after it came in touch with an electric wire trap set up to protect crops from the wild animals.

In quest of food, herds of wild elephants have been visiting the paddy fields in the area for the past few days, according to them.

Local residents have also been trying to chase away elephants in various ways to protect their crops.

However, forest officials said the exact cause of death will be known after the post-mortem and it will be buried next to the spot where it was found.

Officials of the forest department, livestock department, police and administration have visited the spot.

Meanwhile, leaders of local environmental organisations have expressed concern over the deaths of at least two wild elephants in the area.

"We have been observing for a long time that some people have been obstructing the normal movement of wild elephants in Garo hills in the name of protecting crops. Although the government has been compensating the farmers affected by elephants, electrified GI wire and poison is being used to kill wild elephants," said Citizen's Platform Convener Md Abul Kalam Azad.

"We demand exemplary punishment of those involved in the killing of elephants," he added.

Expressing concern over the incident, Sherpur Bird Conservation Society President Sujoy Malakar and Sabuj Andolan President Md Abul Kalam Azad demanded that those involved in the killings to be brought to justice.