Bangladesh circus offers jumbo solution to demolition problem

0 Comments | AFP, March, 2007

DHAKA (AFP) — A circus elephant came to the aid of city chiefs in southern Bangladesh after they were ordered to demolish illegal buildings without heavy equipment.

Discovering that there were no bulldozers available, officials decided to employ a pachyderm from a travelling circus to help do the work.

"We didn't have any bulldozer to conduct the demolition drive in the city so our officers had to hire an elephant from the circus," said Barisal city corporation chief executive Abdul Mannan.

Officials asked the animal's mahout (driver) to have it to shake the flimsily-built structures which were quickly reduced to rubble. Workers with pickaxes then finished off the job.

Bangladesh's new interim government has ordered the removal of all illegally-built...