On Saturday, May 4, a fire erupted in the Amurbunia area of the Chandpai Range within the Sundarban East Forest Division of Bagerhat. Concurrently, reports surfaced of another fire occurring at a location known as Latif Chila in the Sundarbans. On Saturday afternoon, local fishermen observed a fire in the forest area adjacent to the Amurbunia patrol post within the Chandpai range of the Sundarban East Forest Division. However, forest authorities remained unaware of the reason behind this deep-seated fire within the Sundarbans; they also lacked information regarding the extent of forest area affected by the fire. By 6:30 pm, on Saturday evening, fire and smoke were observed in numerous locations throughout the forest.
It is well understood that the livelihoods of nearly 35 lakh individuals residing adjacent to the Sundarbans rely directly or indirectly on this forest -- the Sundarbans play a crucial role in providing essential ecosystem services. Research findings have identified 24 such services rendered by the Sundarbans. The monetary value of environmental services per hectare of the Sundarbans ranges from $456 to $1,192. Consequently, the Sundarbans continue to deliver environmental services equivalent to $27.71 billion annually.
The preservation of the ‘lungs of Asia,’ the Sundarbans, is paramount
In the past 23 years, all fires within the Sundarbans have been confined to merely 5% of the mangrove forest situated under the Eastern Forest Division. Over the course of 24 years, approximately 75 acres of government forest land have succumbed to destruction due to 26 separate fire incidents. The repetitive occurrence of fires has inflicted significant harm to the overall environment of the Sundarbans -- notably, vines perish alongside large trees, disrupting animal habitats and breeding grounds, causing panic among wildlife, and damaging the forests. This adversely affects the food chain of forest fauna, resulting in extreme damage to the Sundarbans' ecosystem.
In the past 22 years, there have been no fire incidents recorded in the Khulna and Satkhira range areas. All 24 fires, including the latest one, have been concentrated in the Sharankhola and Chandpai range areas. The first fire ignited in the Katka and Nangali areas of the Chandpai range in 2002. Subsequently, fires occurred twice in 2005 in the Pacha Kuralia and Gutabaria Sutar Khal areas, five times in 2006 in the Terabeka, Amarbunia, Khuriakhali, Pachakuralia, and Dhansagar areas, and three times in 2007 in the Pachakuralia, Nangali, and Dumuria areas.
In addition, fires broke out in Gulishakhali in 2010, twice in Nangali in 2011, and in Gulishakhali again in 2014. Furthermore, fires occurred three times in 2016 in the Pachakuralia, Nangali, and Tula Tala areas, in the Sila area of Madrasa in 2017, in Dhansagar on February 8, 2021, in Sarankhola Das's tenantry on May 3, and again on May 4 in the same area. Not to mention the fire from last Saturday.
Indeed, it is imperative to conduct a thorough and transparent investigation to determine whether the fires in the Sundarbans are of natural or human made. Many of the 24 investigative reports conducted over the past two decades have implicated fires left by foresters as the cause of the fires. These reports have mentioned on 15 occasions the possibility that fires in the Sundarbans were ignited by fires left behind by foresters. Incidents of fires starting from beedi-cigarettes or torches used by fishermen and mauls to fend off bees have also been documented. The location where the fire erupted in the Sundarbans is distant from any settlements, with beehives present in various trees and mauls engaged in honey collection. However, pinpointing the exact cause of the fire remains challenging.
Environmentalists assert that these fires are predominantly man-made. They attribute responsibility not only to foresters but also to individuals within the Sundarbans engaged in unethical activities for illicit gains, alongside certain unscrupulous forest officials. The repeated occurrence of fires in the Sundarbans is believed to stem from the collusion of profit-seeking fish traders, dishonest forest workers, and ineffective foresters. Despite being a protected forest area, there is unrestricted movement of individuals, including poachers, within the Amurbunia patrol post area.
The recent fire in the Amurbunia area of the Sundarbans after four years underscores the failure to heed the advice of environmentalists, journalists, researchers, and experts, as well as the non-implementation of recommendations put forth by past investigation committees.
As environmental activists, we strongly urge the government and the forest department to prioritize the prevention of man-made fires in the Sundarbans. It is imperative that the perpetrators are swiftly identified and held accountable under the law, with exemplary punishment meted out to deter future incidents.
The preservation of the “lungs of Asia,” the Sundarbans, is paramount, and concerted efforts are required from all stakeholders to safeguard its future and protect the coastline of Bangladesh. To save our future, to protect the coast of Bangladesh, all parties including the government must come together on a platform to stop such fires of the Sundarbans.
Mamun Kabir is Manager, Communications and Advocacy, Waterkeepers Bangladesh