The Sundarbans is not only a part of the global heritage but a crucial natural resource of Bangladesh. The recent Cyclone Remal was a reminder of the fact that this forest protects us from natural disasters.
The way a mother hold her child close to keep it out of harm’s way, the Sundarbans also protects us from the cyclones every single time.
But alongside cutting down trees indiscriminately, a cluster of resort owners have got down to destroying the Sundarbans in the name tourist service. Prothom Alo reports that resorts are being built one after another in the ecologically critical area (ECA) adjacent to the Sundarbans.
As many as 14 resorts have already been constructed in Khulna and Satkhira by felling trees of the forest and filling up canals. Meanwhile, the construction of another eight resorts is underway.
Noisy generators are roaring to keep the resorts running. There are deafening sound systems installed. And, air conditioners (ACs) have been installed in most of the resorts.
According to the Environment Conservation Act, the area within the 10-kilometre radius of the Sundarbans has been declared an ecologically critical area. Construction of any establishments or any sort of activities that destroy the natural features is completely prohibited in these areas.
However, the resort owners have been building establishments one after another without paying heed to these prohibitions. Water, sound and earth pollutions are increasing in the surrounding areas of these resorts. And the wild animals are leaving that part of the forest.
While conducting a baseline study on community-based ecotourism centering the Sundarbans two professors from Khulna University recently found out that there were only three eco cottages around the forest in Dakop of Khulna and in Mongla of Satkhira back in 2018. Then the number reached to twelve in 2023.
All the 74 rooms in those 12 resorts could house as many as 260 tourists then. Meanwhile, another eight cottages having a total of 58 rooms are being constructed this year and the construction of 42 new rooms in seven of the old cottages is also underway. The accommodation capability of 20 cottages would reach 560 persons towards the end of 2024.
What’s more intriguing is that a couple of non-government organisatins have also become involved in constructing resorts. NGOs are supposed to serve poor people and protect the environment. Then why would they run resort business by destroying the environment?
Former chief forest conservator and ex country director of IUC, Ishtiaq Uddin Ahmed told Prothom Alo, “Various threats including the establishment of factories around the Sundarbans are on the rise. If resorts continue running illegally like this, the condition of the Sundarbans will also become like the Bhawal forest of Gazipur.”
Khulna environment directorate director Md Iqbal Hossain has also acknowledged that the establishment of resorts one after another is causing harm to the environment as well as to the Sundarbans.
Now the question is, if they are taking any effective steps to mitigate that damage or they are just playing the role of a silent spectator? If the government does not want the conditions of the Sundarbans to be like that of the Bhawal forest, the people concerned has to take effective and sustainable steps this instant. All will be lost if it’s delayed.
It’s difficult to demolish an establishment after it has already been constructed. Rather the government should take measures so that no one can build an establishment flouting the law.
We draw the attention of the forest and environment departments towards this in this regard. If resorts are constructed, waste will obviously be generated there. And the waste will indeed be thrown into the river flowing through the Sundarbans.
A lot of tourists go to travel in the Sundarbans every year. There’s also the necessity of resorts for their accommodation. But they must be constructed outside the radius marked as ecologically critical area.