Beware of Russell's viper !

Russell's viper (chandrabora) is infamously called the 'killing machine' for its ferocious speed and lethal venom. It is considered one of the deadliest species among venomous snakes, as it can successfully transfer its venom to its victim in one sixteenth of a second. This snake's existence in Bangladesh is century-old and its rarity was known to the wildlife biologists till 2013. But its recent prevalence is causing a major threat to human life across many areas of our country.

Recently, this life-threatening snake has reportedly been found in at least 17 districts. Of them, Chapai Nawabganj and Rajshahi are the most affected. As many as 270 people reportedly died due to Russell's viper bite in the last 10 years. Since nine are reportedly bitten and two dead in the last two weeks, the people on the Padma river sandbanks are now living in a state of fear. The snakebite victims have reportedly experienced symptoms like swelling at the site of the bite, bone and muscle pain from head-to-toe, and vomiting. The bite is nasty and can become gangrenous if medical help is not given immediately. However, it is unfortunate that there is no anti-venom in Bangladesh to cure Russell's viper venom. So, we urge the authorities concerned to take this issue seriously and act accordingly.

Badsha Faysal,

Jurain, Dhaka,

[email protected]