Sonadia Island turns into a garbage dump

Biodiversity under threat

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FE Team | Published: February 01, 2023 20:30:41

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OUR CORRESPONDENT
COX'S BAZAR, Feb 02: Sonadia, the isolated island of Maheshkhali in Cox's Bazar, has become a wasteland of garbage and foreign waste. Due to the wastes, the beach, coastal environment and biodiversity are threatened.
Researchers say if the waste is not removed, it will pose a health risk to the human body and other animals. However, local residents and administration have no choice but to work together to overcome the issue, according to experts.
Sonadia is a small island of about 9 thousand acres in the mouth of the Bay of Bengal, 10 km away from the Cox's Bazar city. The island was named Sonadia because pearls were once cultivated in the island and were sold at the price of gold.
At one time, there were red crabs running all over the beach. Mother turtles coming from the deep sea come here to lay eggs. Once hundreds of species of birds, including extinct species of birds, used to live in Paraban.
Recently, it was seen seven kilometres of beaches from the eastern side of the island to the western side are full of plastic waste. Various types of waste including plastic products, bottles, plastic cans, sandals, polythene bags, fishing nets, medical waste are there. However, the source of these wastes is not known to the locals.
Giyas Uddin, a resident of Sonadia, said that most of the plastic floating in the tidal water are being buried under the beach sand. Some are washed away by the tide. Fish and birds are dying eating these. Plastic waste dumped in the deep sea is deposited on this island by the tides.
Kamal, a local resident, said Sonadia was known as a virgin island, but now it has become a garbage dump. The sand was littered with plastic and glass bottle waste.
Recently, the scientists of Bangladesh Sea Research Institute have started searching for the source of the waste floating in Sonadia Island. They have collected samples and started research on them.
Sayeed Mahmud Belal Haider, Director General of Marine Research Institute and Marine Scientist who claims to have identified some primary sources, said foreign waste was first seen floating in Sonadia Island in 2018. Gradually, it accumulates a large amount of waste and the highest amount of waste came in the tidal waves during Cyclone Sitrang last year, he said. At present, the waste is floating on the beach during the full moon or new moon tide, he added.
He also said that 80 per cent of the waste was non-biodegradable after observing the floating waste in Sonadia Island. Most of the wastes are made of plastic and plastic-like materials.
"The main source of these wastes I have seen is that most of the wastes come from India, Thailand, Myanmar and distant countries. The oceans and seas are interconnected, so the wastes come to Sonadia Island in different ways. If the floating waste is not removed, the plastic waste will turn into microplastic. Microplastics enter the human body through various processes and pose serious health risks", he said.
Sonadia Island's marine life and biodiversity are under threat due to plastics. In the meantime, scientists say that turtles are not coming to lay eggs on the island.
Natural Resource Management Manager of Nature Conservation Management (NECOM) Abdul Qayum said microplastics were found in the stomachs of dead turtles and several birds. Marine animals and biodiversity in Sonadia are under threat due to plastics, he said.
At present, 45 species of birds can be seen in Sonadia Island. Due to the effects of climate change and environmental degradation, many species of life have become extinct. There are about 300 spoon-billed sandpiper birds in the world, a significant part of which can be seen in Sonadia's Paraban.
The migration of spoonbills and other birds is not visible due to the destruction of parabons and the construction of shrimp ponds.
However, experts say that the local people and the administration must work together to protect the island's biodiversity.
Head of research of UNDP Ramiz Uddin said the environment of Sonadia Island is under threat due to these floating wastes. All public and private organizations should work together on these issues.
Cox's Bazar Additional District Magistrate Abu Sufian said Sonadia Island was acquired by Bangladesh Economic Zone Authority (BEZA). Now no tourists go to Sonadia. The development project will be launched in a few days, then everything will be cleared. More than 1,000 men and women live in Sonadia Island. They make a living by fishing.
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