Indian cyclist launches Sundarbans campaign

A part-time schoolteacher of West Bengal has taken an initiative to travel 2,700km in Bangladesh on cycle to raise awareness about saving the Sundarbans.

Ram Prasad Naskar entered Bangladesh through Petrapole border two days back. Cycling through Jessore, he set off for Faridpur on Thursday.

Naskar is a part-time teacher of Borol Sreepur High School in Goria under Sonarpur Police Station of South 24 Parganas district in West Bengal. He hails from Purbaloy area in Subhashgram in the same district. Cycling is his long-time hobby. Nature-lover Naskar prefers cycle as a means of travelling as it is environment-friendly.

Middle-aged Naskar has planned to cycle through the districts of Khulna, Jessore, Faridpur, Manikganj, Bhola, Cox's Bazar, Noakhali, Comilla, Mymensingh, Tangail and Dhaka in one month.

During this period, Naskar will campaign for saving the Sundarbans as biodiversity of the mangrove forest is already under threat due to climate change.

Before leaving for Bangladesh, Naskar told journalists in Kolkata that he had a plan to tour around the world in future as part of his campaign for saving the Sundarbans. Besides, distributing several thousands of leaflets and handbills, the campaigner will also use motivational videos, saved in his cellphone, during his tour in Bangladesh.

Of the total 10,000 square kilometres of the Sundarbans, 6,017sqkm is inside Bangladesh. The remaining 3,983sqkm falls in South 24 Parganas area in West Bengal of India.

The forest is home to 219 species of birds, 40 species of mammals, 56 species of reptiles and 156 species of fish. Besides, there are 67 species of crabs, 23 species of oysters and 150 species of mosses.

Apart from 140 species of trees, among the wild animals are Bengal tigers, fishing cats and deer. There also remain rare species of dolphins, crocodiles, snakes, lizards, water monitor, Olive Ridley turtles, hawksbill turtles, green sea turtle and other species. Due to a lack of environmental awareness, climate change has been taking a serious turn, which has been endangering the flora and fauna of the world's largest contiguous mangrove forest.