The size of the Sundarbans is expanding and the number of tigers in it is also increasing, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said.
She made the remark in parliament on Wednesday while responding to a question from MP Sultana Nadira during the question and answer session.
She said that the government has taken initiative to create artificial mangrove to increase the volume of the Sundarbans and take the forest to the coastal areas.
Referring to the number of tigers in the world’s largest mangrove forest, Hasina said: “The number of tigers was 106 according to the 2015 tiger census conducted using camera trapping. In the 2018 census, 114 of them were found.”
“The amount of carbon reserve in the Sundarbans has also increased. In 2009, it was 106 million tons and that went up to 139 million tons in 2019,” she added.
The prime minister also told the House that the Sundarbans, a reservoir of biodiversity, now has 334 species of plants, 165 species of algae, 13 species of orchids and 375 species of wildlife.
Among the wildlife, there are 42 species of mammals, 35 species of reptiles, eight species of amphibians, 315 species of birds, 210 species of fish, 24 species of shrimps and 14 species of crabs, she said.
She also said that her government has taken many initiatives, including increasing the manpower, to protect the flora and fauna of the forest.
Mentioning that the wildlife sanctuary area was expanded in 2017, she said: "Currently, about 53% of the area of the Sundarbans is included in the sanctuary."