Fishermen, visitors barred from Sundarbans for 3 months from June 1

The Forest Department has barred fishermen and visitors from entering the Sundarbans from June 1 to August 31.

As per the recommendations of the Integrated Resources Management Plan (IRMP), the Forest Department has closed all access to the Sundarbans during the breeding season. To enforce the ban, the Forest Department has stopped all kinds of pass permits for entering the Sundarbans. At the same time, security has been strengthened inside the Sundarbans, reports our Bagerhat correspondent.

Muhammad Belayet Hossain, Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) of the Sundarbans East Forest Department, said fishing in all rivers and canals in the Sundarbans is suspended from July 1 to August 31 every year, since 2019, as per the recommendations of the Integrated Resources Management Plan (IRMP).

This year, in coordination with the Fisheries Department, the ban has been extended by one month. Security has been beefed up inside the Sundarbans during this time. The implementation of this ban will further increase the animal and forest resources of the Sundarbans.

There are 210 species of white fish, 24 species of shrimp, 14 species of crabs, and and 1 species of lobster in the 6,017 sq km Bangladesh part of the Sundarbans.