The crocodile from the pond at the shrine of Khan Jahan Ali in Bagerhat is now under close observation at a rehabilitation center in Khulna.
It was taken to the Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Center in Khulna at around 1:15pm on Wednesday. Earlier, at noon, the crocodile had been captured from the shrine pond in Bagerhat.
Nirmal Pal, divisional forest officer (DFO) for wildlife conservation in Khulna, said that the crocodile had been brought to Khulna for observation and that a decision on its relocation would be made after monitoring its condition.
He added: “The crocodile was first brought under control using bait, and a rope snare was secured around its mouth. It was captured at around noon. After completing the necessary procedures, it was placed in a cage.”
The move follows the death of seven-year-old Fatema Akter, who was attacked by the crocodile while bathing in the shrine pond on Monday. The child was dragged underwater, and her body was recovered the following morning. Earlier, on April 8, the crocodile also attacked and killed a dog at the pond.
The incidents triggered concern among local residents, visitors and devotees, prompting authorities to act.
The historic pond at the Khan Jahan Ali shrine has been associated with freshwater crocodiles for centuries. According to local tradition, a pair of crocodiles was released into the pond after it was excavated by the saint to prevent people from polluting its water. Their descendants reportedly inhabited the pond for nearly 600 years.
After the original crocodile lineage became extinct, the Ministry of Environment and Forests brought six crocodiles from India's Madras Crocodile Bank in 2004 and released four into the pond. Three later died, leaving only one surviving crocodile.
The remaining crocodile frequently wandered into nearby residential areas, reportedly entering local ponds around 90 times in search of a mate. It was most recently rescued from a pond in February 2025 and returned to the shrine.
Caretaker Fakir Jamal Hossain said the crocodile had lived alone for years and that many visitors considered seeing the animal an important part of their visit to the shrine. However, he said the recent deaths had made its relocation necessary, although the absence of a crocodile may disappoint some visitors.
