Taking care of Bangladesh’s ‘lungs’

It is encouraging to know that the Department of Forest is going to use drones for monitoring the Sundarbans in order to check crimes such as poaching of tigers and deer. The department has also planned to erect net-fence around the world's largest mangrove forest to prevent intrusion of tigers into areas where people live. Famous for many herbal plants and animals including the most unique Royal Bengal tiger, the Sundarbans has been recognised by the UNESCO as a world heritage site. The forest is not supposed to see any industrial project within 10 square kilometres of its area, according to environmental laws. However, such laws are often violated by different powerful quarters on various pleas while concerns expressed and appeals made by the civil society and environmental activists and the UNESCO itself are largely ignored.

Many oil tankers are running through the rivers within the Sundarbans, an intervention which is harmful to both fish and plants. Poachers are killing tigers, deer, snake and birds affecting the wildlife as greedy elements are carrying out illegal activities for making money. Such people, in collaboration with a section of forest officers, are felling trees. Shrimp projects in the adjoining areas have also posed threats to the Sundarbans. Thus, the ecosystem of the Sundarbans has become vulnerable to pollution caused by reckless human activities that are prohibited by laws. A major threat to the Sundarbans' biodiversity is the climate change, especially the global warming, that may lead to abnormal rise in the sea level and a resultant saline intrusion into the forest.

We believe, our government wants to protect the Sundarbans from any harms and its sincere efforts including taking legal actions and ensuring compliance with environmental laws and standards, backed by public awareness, can save this heritage site for next generations. This is the forest which is called the lungs of Bangladesh for absorbing carbon dioxide and producing oxygen, on which all living species depend for their survival. It's a huge source of valuable timber, honey and fish in its rivers and overall sustenance of many people. The Sundarbans is also the biggest natural fence to protect the country's south-western region from natural disasters like cyclone that comes from the Bay of Bengal. Mangrove forest stabilises climate, house incredible amounts of plants and wildlife, and produces nourishing rainfall. Therefore, it is essential for us to save the Sundarbans for our safety and keep a balance in biodiversity. We need to give special attention to the Sundarbans, which has been a great blessing for Bangladesh, a country of small landmass but with an oversize population.

Md. Zillur Rahaman

Gandaria, Dhaka