There has been longstanding concern regarding the recurring fire in the Sundarbans, the country’s largest reserve forest and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Amidst an ongoing heatwave, a fire occurred in the forest adjacent to the Amarbunia area of the Chandpai range in the eastern Sundarbans region, under the Bagerhat district on Saturday afternoon.
The Sundarbans holds profound significance for Bangladesh, not only as a heritage site but also for the country's ecological balance.
Over the past 18 years, approximately 80 acres of mangrove forest, having various trees and shrubs, have been ravaged by 29 separate incidents of fire. The latest fire, stretching over a two-kilometer radius, was reportedly ignited by honey collectors using flares to drive bees away from their hives.
According to the Forest Department, there have been 28 fire incidents in the Sundarbans in the last 18 years. Earlier on May 3, 2021, a fire broke out in Daser Varani area in Sundarbans. On May 26, 2017, a fire broke out in Abdullah's Chhila area under Nangli Forest Camp of Chandpai Range in the East Zone.
Fire has already spread in the forest. The severity of fires in dry forests is increasing. As there is no water nearby, it would not be easy to bring the fire under control. The Sundarbans continued to burn until the filing of this editorial on Sunday.
Locals alleged that some unscrupulous people often enter the forest illegally to extract honey. They collect honey from the beehive by burning torches. They believed that fire could start from the fire of their burning torches.
However, an official of the forest department said that the fire might have originated from a cigarette or the fire from the honey collectors. However, the exact cause would be known after getting the investigation report. The probe committee formed to investigate the fire incident has been asked to submit its report within the next seven days.
There have been 28 fire
incidents in the Sundarbans
in the last 18 years
We have noticed a vested quarter in association with some dishonest officials and employees of the forest department several times were allegedly engaged in setting fire to the Sundarbans deliberately in a bid to grab the forest land. The authorities must identify the vested quarter and dishonest forest officials and employees and bring them to book immediately.
Besides, the government and non-government institutions and environmentalists will have to come forward with initiatives to raise public awareness as forests are vital for human life because they provide a diverse range of resources. The local inhabitants and tourists must know how and in what way they will travel through the forests so that the forest will not be affected.
Otherwise, a single burning stick of a bidi or cigarette may cause a big disaster for the forest. Apart from these, the government will have to take various steps to preserve the bio-diversity of the Sundarbans and introduce smart patrolling to contain forest crimes inside it.
It is incumbent upon conscientious citizens to engage in this national imperative of protecting not only the Sundarbans' flora and fauna but also its vital wetlands. The collective effort is essential to ensure the preservation of this invaluable ecological treasure for future generation.
