To say that Bangladesh has essentially taken the Sundarbans for granted would be a gross understatement. Just this week, two fires broke out, one after the other on Saturday and Sunday.
Indeed, that as per the Forest Department, over the past 19 years, the Sundarbans has had 30 fires, is not just tragic, but also shows just how callous we have collectively been with regard to protecting what is inarguably our most valuable natural treasure.
With the potential for these latest fires to be deliberate acts, we expect the authorities concerned to treat the proposed investigation with the seriousness it warrants, and if anybody is found guilty of starting these fires, to punish them to the fullest extent of the law. If there are nefarious individuals or parties who intend to cause damage through these fires, then failure to stop them will only embolden others to cause further damage.
The Sundarbans have always been an integral part of our Bangladeshi identity; it is home to the Bengal tiger while, even more importantly, it is our first line of defense against the numerous storms and cyclones we face yearly, while also being instrumental in preserving the region’s natural ecosystem. There are also the thousands of people whose livelihoods are connected to its existence.
As such, when fires break out in the Sundarbans, it is a collective national failure - one that affects each and every one of us in some way or another. It is time we begin to value the Sundarbans and do everything in our power to better preserve it.
