It is alarming to hear that there are certain nefarious parties who, in their bid to capture fish, are poisoning them, not only causing grave danger to all marine life in the region, but also to locals as well, as the poisoned fish that are caught eventually make their way to the markets.
This is yet another setback to the growing list of issues the Sundarbans are subjected to; it is a travesty how, despite knowing just how important the Sundarbans are to Bangladesh -- as our first line of defense from the seasonal cyclones and a shield for the coastal regions, as a treasure trove of biodiversity in the region, and as the lifeblood for tens of thousands of Bangladeshis -- we continue to fail to protect it.
Indeed, human atrocities -- and the poisoning of fish is nothing but an atrocity -- have threatened the Sundarbans for far too long, and it is about time we do something to reduce it. In this case, it is identifying those responsible for poisoning the waters. While deploying RAB to apprehend the syndicate responsible for this terrible act shows the intent of the authorities, this must be done as soon as possible, with those responsible punished to the fullest extent of the law.
However, in the long run, we must ensure that such incidents are never repeated, and conversely, that we increase conservation efforts in the Sundarbans to better protect it. Its value is priceless to each and every Bangladeshi. It is high time we understood this.
