The Sundarbans is incontrovertibly one of our nation’s most sacred natural resources, which is unsurprising considering its unique ecosystem and biodiversity -- the forest not only attracts thousands of tourists every year, but shields the country against natural calamities, and provides livelihoods worth thousands of crores to local communities.
While certain developments occurring near or around the Sundarbans still give us pause regarding the extent to which the government’s commitment to retaining the Sundarbans’ environmental integrity runs, the administration’s efforts in safeguarding the forest being recognized by Unesco at the World Heritage Convention is indeed a good sign.
The Sundarbans is a crucial part of Bangladeshi heritage: Not only is it infused with our very national identity, as it is the home to the iconic Bengal tiger, the forest is absolutely instrumental in preserving the region’s natural ecosystem and internal economy. We cannot, therefore, afford to be negligent in our approach to conserving this very important piece of our heritage.
However, there are currently more than 150 industrial projects at work in the surrounding areas of the Sundarbans, and given our nation’s track record in terms of developmental negligence it is not unreasonable to think that they may pose a threat to the forest -- lest we forget the devastating oil spill that occurred at the Shela River nine years ago, dealing a devastating blow to the ecology of the Sundarbans.
As one of the countries most vulnerable to the ravaging effects of climate change, never has the natural ecosystem of our nation been more important -- an ecosystem in which the Sundarbans plays a major role in.
The government deserves plaudits for its work towards conserving the environmental integrity of the Sundarbans, but it also needs to ensure that the balance between development and conservation tips more towards the latter than the former in this region.
