Fire incidents posing threat to Sundarbans

The only Chandpai Range of the Sundarbans saw 14 fire incidents in the last 12 years, raging through some 40 acres of forest, said a forest department data.

This unique mangrove forest frequently suffers from disasters, but most of which are manmade.

A recent visit by the news agency showed that the Sundarbans is struggling to have its ecosystem restored after the recent fire incident. Though fresh grasses were seen there, Sundari plants were not growing in the affected areas.

On March 27, 2016, the latest fire broke out in the Dhanshagar station's Nangli forest camp area of Chadpai Range, located in the eastern part. Forest officials said many precious plant species like Sundari, Goran and Geowa were burnt into ashes.

Dr Mahmud Hossain, a forestry professor at Khulna University, said the recurring fire incident is posing a threat to the biodiversity of the forest. Soil fertility is declining in the Sundarbans due to frequent fires, he added.

According to the residents of Uttar Rajapur village in Khulna, those living nearby the Sundarbans often set fire to it to collect firewood. The burnt area goes under water during monsoon and local fishermen use the area for fishing.

They said fishermen also use the fire-ravaged areas as cattle grazing ground during the dry season.

A three-member probe body has already been formed to find out the cause, said Md Saidul Islam, divisional forest officer.

Belayet Hossain, probe body chief and assistant forest conservator, said the committee will submit its report soon.

Stressing the need for making the forest dwellers aware of protecting the Sundarbans from fire incidents, Saidul called for setting up a special fire station.

A high-profile Unesco delegation recently visited the Sundarbans to assess the possible impacts of the recent manmade disasters on the mangrove forest.

Besides the fire incidents, a tanker carrying about 350,000 litres of furnace oil crashed in the Shela River on December 9, 2014, while a cargo sank on March 19, 2016.

The Sundarbans, a natural habitat to the tiger, crocodile and dolphin, is located in three coastal districts, Khulna, Bagerhat and Satkhira, covering a stretch of 6,017 square kilometers.