Eastern Sundarban losing ground to relentless erosion

FAKIRHAT, BAGERHAT, July 17: The Sundarban, the world's largest mangrove forest and Bangladesh's natural shield against cyclones and storm surges, is itself under growing threat from relentless river and coastal erosion.

At least 12 locations in the eastern Sundarban are being steadily eroded by the Bay of Bengal and surrounding rivers, according to the Forest Department. Despite nearly seven decades of erosion, however, there is still no comprehensive government survey or reliable database showing how much forest has been lost, where the losses are most severe, or how the changing coastline is affecting the ecosystem.

Environmentalists warn that the continued erosion could weaken Bangladesh's most important natural coastal defence at a time when climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events.

No reliable record of forest loss
Retired forest official Abul Basar said erosion along the western bank of the Baleshwar River near Tafalbari, Gabtali and Bogi began in the mid-1950s.

He estimates that four to five kilometres of land have disappeared into the river over the past seven decades, forcing the Bogi Forest Office to shift several kilometres inland.

"Erosion has also continued for decades in Supati, Meher Ali Char, Kotka and other parts of the Sundarban," he said. "But neither the Forest Department nor any other government agency has maintained reliable records of how much forest has been lost or regenerated."

According to the Eastern Sundarban Division, erosion is currently affecting at least 12 key locations, including Kotka, Kochikhali, Supati Forest Station, Terabeka Forest Office, Meher Ali Char Cyclone Shelter-cum-Forest Office and Bogi Forest Station. Other vulnerable areas include Jongra, Karamjal, Dubla, Kokilmoni, Shapla, Charkhali, Dumuria, Dhangmari and Chandeshwar Point.

Environmentalists say the absence of a comprehensive database has become a major obstacle to assessing the true scale of erosion and planning effective conservation measures.

Erosion intensifies after Cyclone Remal
Md Shariful Islam, Assistant Conservator of forests at the Sharankhola Range, said riverbank erosion accelerated after Cyclone Remal.
"The rate of erosion has nearly doubled. Although new chars are emerging in some places, it takes many years before they develop into forest land," he said.

Forest officials said erosion is generally most severe between mid-June and September, when heavy monsoon rains, upstream flows, tidal surges and rough seas combine to accelerate land loss.

A recent visit found the two-storey Bogi Forest Station building standing precariously on the edge of the Baleshwar River. It has already been abandoned because of safety concerns, forcing officials to operate from temporary wooden structures and disrupting forest management and patrol activities.

The cyclone shelter-cum-forest office at Meher Ali Char is also at risk of being swallowed by the sea.
Deputy Ranger Bipuleswar Debnath said geo bags had been placed along the riverbank but had failed to halt the erosion.

Communities witness rapid land loss
Local residents say the pace of erosion has increased sharply over the past three decades.

Conflicting claims over protection project
The Forest Department says it has repeatedly sought assistance from the Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) and expects a World Bank-supported erosion control project to begin in 2027.

However, BWDB Executive Engineer Jayanta Pal in Bagerhat said he was aware only of limited geo bag placement carried out last year and had no information about any large-scale protection project.

The differing statements have raised questions about coordination among government agencies.

Experts call for urgent action
Ferdousur Rahman, Executive Director of environmental organisation Prodipon, said the shrinking Sundarban would leave Bangladesh's coastline increasingly vulnerable.

"The Sundarban is not just a forest�"it is the country's largest natural defence system," he said.

Experts say Bangladesh still lacks regular satellite monitoring and long-term integrated surveys of erosion in the Sundarban. Without reliable data, policymakers cannot accurately assess forest loss or develop effective conservation strategies.

Eastern Sundarban Divisional Forest Officer Md Rezaul Karim Chowdhury said erosion continues at 12 locations, particularly around Kotka, where the coastline is gradually retreating northward.