Citizens’ groups yesterday demanded the probe reports on the Sundarbans oil spills be made public immediately to let the people know about the actual damage that occurred in the world’s largest mangrove forest and its rivers.
In two separate programmes in the capital, activists also alleged the government was trying to save the culprits responsible for the oil spill, which has damaged the forest's ecosystem.
Oil tanker Southern Star 7, carrying around 358,000 litres of furnace oil, sank in the Sela River in Mrigmari at the East Zone of the Sundarbans, after being hit by a cargo vessel, Total Cargo, around 6am on December 9.
Both vessels were operating with fitness certificates despite having serious faults. “The spill happened as a result of the corruption of the officers concerned. The government is taking its time to publish the probe reports with a view to protecting the culprits,” said Ashish Kumar Dey, convenor of the National committee to Protect Shipping, Road and Railway, in a written statement.
Two separate probe bodies were formed after the incident. Of these, the seven-member committee is led by Nur-ur-Rahman, joint secretary of the Shipping Ministry, while the other four-member committee is led by Captain Gias Uddin, nautical surveyor of the Department of Marine Traffic.
“None of the committees have submitted their report until now, which is unacceptable,” Ashish said at a joint press briefing in the city. Citizens' Rights Movement is a co-organiser of the briefing.
In the meantime, Bangladesh Poribesh Bachao Andolon (Bapa) asked the government to remove all infrastructures from within and around the mangrove forest to save it from further destruction.
“The Sundarbans is a natural shield for this nation. We have to save the forest to save the country,” said Dr Abdul Matin, general secretary of the organisation, at a human chain in front of the National Press Club.
