The Betmore River near Tambulbunia in the Sundarbans Syed Zakir Hossain/Dhaka TribuneSundarbans (West) Forest officer Md Bashirul Al Mamun said the administration will take steps to ensure animals can roam freely in the sanctuary.
“We are going to strictly restrict all natural resource collecting activity in the area. Local residents and those who depend on the forest resources will be notified immediately,” the forest officer said.The government issued a gazette stating that the protected zones in the Sundarbans have been increased from 23% to 52%.
On Sunday, Environment and Forest Secretary Ishtiaque Ahmed issued a gazette declaring the government decree.
The expansion will add 12 forest compartments spanning over 1,78,250.584 hectares to the existing 1,39,699.496 hectares in 10 compartments. In total, the protected zone now covers 3,17,950 hectares out of 6,01,700 hectares of the Sundarbans.
Khulna Forest Conservator Amir Hossain Chowdhury, who is also the director of the Tiger Monitoring Survey project, said: “This new expansion will help the tiger population grow. It will also protect the biodiversity of the forest.”
The Betmore River near Tambulbunia in the Sundarbans Syed Zakir Hossain/Dhaka TribuneSundarbans (West) Forest officer Md Bashirul Al Mamun said the administration will take steps to ensure animals can roam freely in the sanctuary.
“We are going to strictly restrict all natural resource collecting activity in the area. Local residents and those who depend on the forest resources will be notified immediately,” the forest officer said.
The Betmore River near Tambulbunia in the Sundarbans Syed Zakir Hossain/Dhaka TribuneSundarbans (West) Forest officer Md Bashirul Al Mamun said the administration will take steps to ensure animals can roam freely in the sanctuary.
“We are going to strictly restrict all natural resource collecting activity in the area. Local residents and those who depend on the forest resources will be notified immediately,” the forest officer said.