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Protect Sundarbans before it is too late

Published : Wednesday, 14 February, 2024 at 12:00 AM  Count : 445
Alok Acharja
Sundarban is the heart of Bangladeshs Biodiversity. The Sundarbans are not only beautiful in name, but also have impressive structure and animals wealth. Numerous known and unknown flora and fauna have been contributing to the balance of the countrys environment for ages. When you hear about the Sundarbans, the striped Royal Bengal tiger, Golpata, tidal flats, and mouals come to mind. The worlds largest Tidal Garan forest is located in the Ganges and Brahmaputra delta in the southern part of Bangladesh. The wonderful arrangement and arrangement of various types of vegetation and the assemblage of wildlife make this forest more attractive.

About two hundred years ago, the area of this forest was about 16,700 square kilometers. Most of the worlds forests are in an existential crisis today. Giant forests like the Amazon, which locals believed would never shrink, are losing volume today due to human greed. Due to human greed and natural causes, our Sundarbans are also losing size. At present, due to various reasons, it has shrunk to one-third of its actual size. When the Indian subcontinent is divided into two parts, two-thirds of the Sundarbans belong to Bangladesh and the rest to India. The area of Bangladesh is about square kilometers. In 1875 Sundarbans was declared as a reserved forest.

About 32,400 hectares of forest land have been identified as a wildlife sanctuary. It is not clear why Sundarbans got its name, but it is generally accepted that it is derived from the name of the beautiful trees of this forest. According to an international research report, in 1989, Sundari trees covered 166,645 hectares of forest. In 2014 it decreased to 1 lakh 12 thousand 995 hectares. According to the information, in 1828, the British government acquired the rights of Sundarbans. In 1878, the entire Sundarbans area was declared a reserved forest. During the partition of India in 1947, 6,17 square kilometers of the Sundarbans were transferred to Bangladesh, which is 4.2 times the area of Bangladesh and about 44 percent of the countrys total forest area.

Many beautiful trees can be seen in this forest. Sundarbans are a huge treasure of natural resources of our country with plants, animals, reptiles, amphibians, fish, etc. The tree species of this forest include Gewa, Garan, Keora, Ora, Pashur, Dhundul, Bain, etc. of the southwest area. Most of the southern part is covered with temperate saline forest, and the predominant vegetation is Sundari. Golpata is seen growing densely. With the roof of which house can be built.

Abundant freshwater flowing through the Pasur, Haringhata, and Burishar rivers has reduced the salinity to some extent and has helped to develop sustainable freshwater forest areas in the coastal areas. When it comes to the fauna of the Sundarbans, the first thing that comes to mind is the Royal Bengal Tiger. Not only the Royal Bengal Tiger but also many other animals are home to this Sundarbans. There are about 50 species of mammals (notable Chitra deer, Maya deer, rhesus monkey, forest cat, leopard, porcupine, otter, and wild boar), 320 species of resident and migratory birds (notable buck, stork, kandakhocha, Hargila, Lenja, Gangchil, Pigeons, terns, chil, eagles, vultures and indigenous birds), about 50 species of reptiles ( turtles and various species of snakes), 8 species of amphibians and about 400 species of fish.

The economy of Bangladesh is built around this huge forest. Shrimp is at the forefront of this economy. Which is known as white gold. Among about 20 species of shrimp, Bagda shrimp and Harina shrimp are commercially important. Many people are employed in shrimp farming and trade. Moreover, a large area surrounding the Sundarbans is involved in fishing. Their life and livelihood is based on this fish. Sometimes they are also attacked by tigers.

However, this Sundarban is one of the sources of their survival. Another economically important profession is the Moual who collects honey from this forest and makes a living. He collects honey from the forest for three months during the flowering season with the permission of the forest department. This honey is then sent to various parts of the country for sale.

This forest is a blessing for our country. If we do not keep a careful eye on this forest, it can become a curse for us. Sundarbans are being destroyed due to various reasons. The Sundarbans are constantly being damaged by the poachers. Billions of people in the country are being threatened by these inconsiderate, greedy, and dishonest people. A forest is not just a forest but has a relationship with the nation.

Smugglers are smuggling wood from this forest. Various animals including the Royal Bengal tiger, deer, and dog are being preyed upon by hunters. This is having a devastating effect on the forest food chain. Tigers are entering the locality in search of food and are dying at the hands of people. But the number of these tigers is decreasing and today it is on the way to losing its existence. The Sundarbans are very important in maintaining the balance of the natural environment. Forestry should be increased to prevent major natural disasters. Our country already does not have the necessary forest land. A country must have 25% forest cover.

We don have that. If we destroy what is there, it will be like axing ourselves. This forest is also important in the tourism industry. Every year many local and foreign tourists visit this forest. In that case, it continues to play a direct role in our economy. The government should play a stricter role in protecting the Sundarbans. Those who live around the Sundarbans hey basically live and depend on this forest for their livelihood. If they can develop an alternative source of income, then they will not harm the forest.

Sanctuary should be built inside the Sundarbans. Necessary manpower and equipment must be provided for proper management of forests. Because traffickers are strong and clever. Therefore, skilled manpower should be appointed to deal with them.

The writer is an essayist and columnist



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