Residents of Ward No. 2 within the Natore Municipality have formally appealed to the District Commissioner (DC) for intervention to protect them from ongoing monkey attacks. On Thursday, 4 June, a written petition was submitted to the District Commissioner by Milon Akhand on behalf of more than one hundred affected residents of the Lalbazar neighbourhood. Local accounts indicate that at least 32 individuals have been injured by the animal over the past three months, with numerous victims requiring medical treatment.

Public Disruption and Injuries Reported

According to the official petition, the aggressive monkey arrived in Lalbazar from an external area approximately three months ago and has since remained in the locality. The animal roams the residential streets daily from dawn until dusk. It frequently enters domestic kitchens, dining areas, local eateries, and various retail shops to forage for food, whilst regularly launching unprovoked attacks on members of the public.

Consequently, residents have been forced to keep their household doors and windows permanently closed to prevent the animal from entering. Kakoli Roy, a 32-year-old resident of the neighbourhood, detailed her personal encounter with the animal:

“About two months ago, I was standing in front of a shop. Suddenly, the monkey leaped and bit my hand. This severed a tendon in one of my fingers. I had to undergo surgery to reattach the tendon. I have still not fully recovered.”

Medical and Administrative Responses

The scale of the issue has been verified by local healthcare officials. Parvin Akhter, the staff nurse in charge of the vaccination wing at Natore Sadar Hospital, confirmed the influx of casualties:

“Patients are arriving at the hospital intermittently after falling victim to monkey attacks. Over the past three months, we have administered vaccines to 15 individuals. Many others are also obtaining their vaccinations from external sources.”

Wildlife officials have acknowledged the difficulties encountered in resolving the situation. Jahangir Alam, an inspector from the Rajshahi regional office of the Forest Department, stated that the monkey has been exhibiting highly erratic and abnormal behaviour. He noted that despite repeated operations, forestry officials have been unable to capture the animal, and the department is currently evaluating alternative strategies to neutralise the threat.

Following the receipt of the public appeal, the Additional District Commissioner (General), Abul Hayat, confirmed that the administration is taking the matter seriously. He stated that the petition from the neighbourhood residents has been received and that formal measures will be implemented in coordination with the Forest Department to ensure public safety.

Statistical Overview of the Incident

The following table contextualises the empirical data collected from local residents, administrative departments, and healthcare authorities regarding the situation in Natore: