Sundarbans reopens after 3-month ban

After a three-month ban, the Forest Department has reopened the Sundarbans to tourists and forest-dependent people on Tuesday aimed at protecting fish breeding and preserving the biodiversity of the world’s largest mangrove forest.

Fishermen and other forest-dependent people from villages and upazilas adjacent to the Sundarbans have completed preparations to return to the forest with valid passes and permits to catch fish and crabs.

Khulna Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Hasanur Rahman said the three-month closure contributed positively to the forest ecosystem.
“With public access to the forest suspended for three months, vegetation has grown considerably, while the number of deer and other species of wildlife and birds has increased,” he said.

He added that fish production in the rivers and canals flowing through the Sundarbans has also increased during the closure.