The Sundarbans is the biggest natural mangrove forest in the world, located between Bangladesh and India.
The beauty of this forest and biodiversity attracts tourists. Over the years, it has become an integral part of Bangladesh's economy.
However, the environment and biodiversity of the Sundarbans, which is part of world heritage, is now under threat.
Climate change, pollution, unregulated felling of trees, lack of awareness and indifference of the authorities are affecting the biodiversity there.
In the past 400 species of birds used to inhabit the forest. The number has now come down to 270. 
Dhaka Tribune
In 2001, environmentalists raised a demand to declare February 14 as Sundarbans Day and people in the coastal regions of the country have been celebrating the day since 2002. But officially the day has not been declared.
Divisional Forest Officer of Sundarbans West Division Abu Naser Mohsin Hossain said various steps are being taken by the forest department to protect the forest. Leaflets are being circulated to make fishermen aware of the biodiversity of the forest. Camera trapping is underway to count several wild animals, including tigers. The latest camera survey of 2018 found 114 tigers in the Sundarbans.
The area of the Sundarbans in Bangladesh comprises about 6 thousand 17 square kilometers. There are 120 species of fish in the rivers and canals in the Sundarbans and 31 species of animals that are endangered in the world can be found in the forest.
In 1977 the Sundarbans was declared a World Heritage Site by Unesco. In 2002, a study on oil pollution in the Sundarbans, funded by the Asian Development Bank, reported that the Sundarbans could be seriously damaged by oil pollution.
Dhaka Tribune A Unesco delegation visited several places, including Jaymanirgola and Hiran Point in the Sundarbans. In December 2019, Unesco identified 10 risk factors in the Sundarbans. Rising sea levels, pollution, illegal activities and mining of rivers were identified as some of the challenges.
Things to do for fishermen in the Sundarbans
In order to obtain a pass (permit) for fishing in the Sundarbans, a public boat license certificate (BLC) must be obtained for each boat. Each time before taking a new permit and at the time of submission, the boat in question must be presented at the station wharf with the necessary documents (BLC, National Identity Card etc.) and the prescribed revenue.
A separate permit must be obtained for harvesting crabs in the forest waters. Fishing must be done in the waters specified in the pass
Mihir Kumar Do, Conservator of Forests (CF) of Khulna region, said that several projects have been undertaken to protect wildlife and forests under the three-year Sundarbans Tiger Conservation Project at a cost of Tk36 crore. These include tiger enumeration, construction of high mounds in various parts of the Sundarbans to provide safe shelter to forest animals during cyclones and floods and installation of a fence around the forest. This installation will start in the next financial year.
Farooq Ahmed, director of Sundarbans Academy, said that in 2001, a national conference was held on protecting the biodiversity of the Sundarbans. At that conference, a demand to declare Sundarbans Day was raised.
In addition to forest department officials, staff members from various government institutions, coast guards enter the forest at will. Tourists continue to visit the forest, endangering the biodiversity of the forest, he added.
However, the government is now very conscious about protecting the Sundarbans and is taking some major projects in this regard.
Even so, local people want state recognition regarding celebrating Sundarbans Day in order to involve the masses with the ongoing movement to protect the largest mangrove forest in the world.