To stop criminal acts of deforestation and raise awareness on the Sundarbans, a mass apology was offered to the largest mangrove forest.

On the occasion of Sundarbans Day, Bangladesh Paribesh Andolon (BAPA), Waterkeepers Bangladesh, Pashur River Waterkeeper, Badaban Sangho and Dhangmari Dolphin Conservation Team organised the programme at Dhangmari in east Sundarbans this morning, reports our Bagerhat correspondent.

The event included fishermen, bawali, mouali, who offered a mass apology to Sundarbans in order to raise awareness about unplanned industrialisation, coal-oil carrying vessels capsizing in Pashur river, waste and plastic pollution, extinction of wildlife such as tigers, deer, birds, poisoning of fish, extinction of dolphins, fossil fuels, climate change, and felling trees.

Md Noor Alam Sheikh, Pashur River Waterkeeper and convener of BAPA's Bagerhat district committee, presided over the mass apology. He said that deforestation is threatening Sundarbans' biodiversity. Deforestation must be stopped by people and the government in order to save Sundarbans and achieve sustainable development.

The government must prioritise environmental and people-friendly sustainable development projects, halting all projects that harm Sundarbans as it protects us from danger, according to speakers.

People who make a living from Sundarbans took part in the programme with various festoons, placards in their hands.