Photo: BSS

CHITTAGONG UNIVERSITY, April 10, 2026 (BSS) - An approximately 8-foot long king cobra, one of the world's most venomous snake species, has been rescued from Chittagong University (CU) campus.

The snake was rescued around 8:00 pm on Friday from a residence in the staff colony behind the Department of Drama on the university campus. Members of the snake rescue team (3SA), an organization working to raise awareness about snakes and snakebites, carried out the rescue operation.

The matter was confirmed around 10:30 pm by Associate Professor Dr. Ibrahim Al Haider of the Department of Zoology and adviser to the 3SA snake rescue team.

He said they received the information around 7:30 pm and reached the spot within about 10 minutes. The house belongs to a university employee. The snake had taken shelter beneath the slab of the house's toilet. Later, the slab was broken and the snake was safely rescued.

Dr. Haider said the king cobra is considered one of the most venomous snakes in the world. The rescued snake is currently under the supervision of the 3SA team and has not yet been released into the wild. If necessary, it may be sent to the venom research center. Otherwise, it will be released into the deep forest areas of the campus.

He also said king cobras have long been known to inhabit the area. However, the species usually avoids human presence and is generally shy in nature. Recently, two factors are causing them to descend from the hills to lower areas: forest fires in the hills and excessive use of herbicides that are damaging their natural habitat.

Rafik Islam, a researcher on snake venom and a former student of the Department of Zoology, said that a resident of Jharna Colony, Imam Hossain, called the 3SA assistance number on Friday evening to inform them about the snake. The presence of the snake inside the house created panic among local residents, prompting them to seek help from the organization.

Later, under the leadership of Dr. Ibrahim Al Haider, members of the snake rescue team - Mohammad Ismail Hossain, Nafis Hasan, Md. Imran and Mohammad Mubarak Mia along with local residents, managed to rescue the snake safely.

Following the rescue, the team delivered messages to those present about snake conservation, biodiversity protection and the importance of raising awareness regarding snakes.