Rows of boats are lined up on the riverbanks. Net-weaving is ongoing in some places, old nets are being repaired in others. Some are painting their boats, while others are applying coal tar. Preparations are underway to return to the Sundarbans.
After a consecutive three-month ban, fishermen and tourists will be allowed to enter the Sundarbans again from 1 September. The lifting of the ban has brought a new rush of activity to communities near the forest.
But alongside the relief of having their livelihoods back, fishermen worry they may have to pay extortion to forest robber groups. If a large portion of the earnings from catching fish and crabs has to be paid as extortion, making ends meet could become difficult.
Abul Kalam, a fisherman from Mathbari village in Koyra, Khulna, was repairing his boat on an embankment there last Friday morning. He told Prothom Alo that activities of the robber gangs in the Sundarbans had increased again. If he has to pay extortion to enter the forest and fails to catch enough fish, he could face major financial losses.
Another fisherman, Ripon Gazi from Nildumur village on the banks of the Kholpetua River under the Satkhira Range, said, "I run my household by catching fish and crabs in the Sundarbans. The three months of the ban were spent in great hardship. I had to pass the days by taking out loans. But if we have to pay extortion to the forest robber groups, running the household on that income will become difficult."
Three local fishermen complained that previously, many forest dwellers had to enter the forest by taking extortion tokens or slips from these groups. To go to the Sundarbans with a boat for 15 days, they had to pay Tk 5,000 in advance extortion per boat to take that slip from the robber groups.
Although various initiatives have been taken and assurances given by the government over time to take steps against these groups, the fear has not completely gone away among forest-dependent communities.
Lieutenant Commander Md. Shamsul Arefeen, Operations Officer of the Coast Guard (West Zone), hopes that they can create a safe environment for the fishermen within a short time after the Sundarbans opens.
When asked about the extortion, he told Prothom Alo that information is also being gathered regarding the forest robber groups and their associates in the localities who take money from the fishermen and provide tokens. Efforts are underway to bring them under the law as well.
According to Forest Department data, of the 6,017 square kilometer area of the Sundarbans, the Bangladesh portion consists of 4,143 square kilometers of land and 1,874 square kilometers of water.
The Sundarbans is home to 210 species of fish, 528 species of plants, 355 species of birds, 87 species of reptiles and 505 species of wild animals. Every year, entry of forest-dependent people and tourists to the Sundarbans is suspended from 1 June to 31 August to protect biodiversity.
Across Pathorkhali, Mothbari, Katkata and Moheshwaripur villages on the banks of the Shakbaria and Koyra rivers in Koyra, the fishermen were putting final touches to their boats. Khairul Alam, a fisherman from the Maharajpur area, said he had to borrow Tk 30,000 during the three-month ban. He has also finished repairing his boat and nets using loans.
Abdul Khalek, a forest-dwelling fisherman from Shyamnagar upazila, said that usually, two to three fishermen stay in a boat. They have to enter the forest with six to seven days of food and fuel. If they fall into the clutches of the robber groups, there is a risk of losing everything, including fish, nets, and food.
"No one who is financially well-off goes to the forest voluntarily. Those who go are poor like us. They are forced to run towards an uncertain journey," he added.
There are 12,000 Boat License Certificates for harvesting resources from the Sundarbans. Through these watercraft, fishermen, woodcutters (bawalis) and honey collectors (mowals) harvest various resources, including fish and crabs. Additionally, over a hundred thousand tourists visit the seven ecotourism centres of the Sundarbans every year.
According to the fishermen, illegal fishing in the Sundarbans did not stop even during the ban period. Evading the oversight of the Forest Department, some caught fish by applying poison, which is reducing the number of fish and crabs. It is necessary to identify and take action against those who entered the forest illegally during the ban.
AZM Hasanur Rahman, Divisional Forest Officer of the Sundarbans West Forest Division, told Prothom Alo that starting 1 September, fishermen and tourists will be permitted to enter the Sundarbans.
He further said that the Forest Department did its best to implement the ban. Whenever information regarding forest robber groups is received, it is shared with the Coast Guard. They are working in coordination with the Coast Guard to curb these groups.
Alongside smart patrol teams, foot patrols are also being conducted to prevent forest crimes. The Forest Department is making its maximum effort for the safety and other assistance of the fishermen, he added.