'Dishonest' forest officials responsible for Sundarbans fire: speakers

Environmental activists at an event today said "dishonest" forest officials were responsible for the repeated fires in Sundarbans.

The overall environment of Sundarbans is being damaged by the repeated fires, they said at a press conference at Mongla Press Club auditorium in Khulna this morning.

The press conference titled, "World Heritage Sundarbans: Who is responsible? What to do?" was organised by two environmental organisations Dhoritri Rokkhay Amra and Pashur River Waterkeeper.

They alleged that local fish traders in collusion with forest officials were repeatedly setting fire to the mangrove forest.

Wildlife in Sundarbans is being terrified as the fire burnt the large trees and shrubs, damaging the habitat and breeding ground of the animals, they said.

In his written speech, Dhoritri Rokkhay Amra's coordinator Md Nur Alam Sheikh said the financial value of the Sundarbans' ecological services per hectare ranges from $456 to $1,092. As a result, the Sundarbans provide ecological services equivalent to US $ 270 million to US $ 710 million annually.

Bidyut Mondal, president of the Sundarbans Fishermen's Association, said real fishermen can never set fire to the Sundarbans. Some profiteering, dishonest fish traders and forest officials set fire to the Sundarbans.

Those involved in the fire should be brought under the law and given exemplary punishment, he said.

Several recommendations were made in the press conference to stop the fire in the Sundarbans.

The recommendations include the construction of a watchtower, stopping free movement and unplanned canal digging in Sundarbans, training of mouwals (honey collectors), use of drone cameras, installation of CCTV cameras, and creating awareness among the local people.