Local communities, including fishermen, Bawal (wood collectors), and Mowal (honey collectors), who rely on the Sundarbans for their livelihoods, are concerned about a three-month ban on all activities in the forest starting Saturday.
These communities returned home a few weeks ago due to the cyclonic storm Remal, and the forest department has since restricted re-entry into the Sundarbans. With the ban in place, they face a period without income.
The local administration has assured the affected communities of food assistance through the Fisheries Department. Fishermen have expressed their worries, stating their families depend on collecting fish, crabs, and honey in the Sundarbans. With their limited catch prior to returning home due to the storm, many have no savings to sustain them through the ban period.
The three-month ban on fishing and tourism in the Sundarbans, effective from June 1 to August 31, aims to provide a safe breeding environment for fish and wild animals. The movement of all vessels, including boats and fishing trawlers, is prohibited, along with the entry of fishermen and honey collectors. Local and foreign tourists are also barred from entering the forest during this time.
AKM Iqbal Hossain Chowdhury, Assistant Forest Conservator of the West Sundarbans, explained that June to August is the primary breeding season for fish in the region’s rivers and canals.
During these three months, most fish release eggs, and it is also the breeding season for many wild animals. Restricting access helps protect biodiversity and wildlife, he said. The damage caused by Cyclone Remal to the forest’s biodiversity and wildlife is expected to recover more quickly with the ban in place.
Abu Naser Mohsin Hossain, a forest official of the Sundarbans West Division, confirmed that entry into the Sundarbans will resume on September 1. Since 2019, the Integrated Resource Management Plan (IRMP) has recommended closing the Sundarbans’ rivers and canals to fishing from July 1 to August 31 annually. In 2021, this restriction was extended to three months, starting June 1, in coordination with the Fisheries Department.
The Sundarbans is home to about 289 species of animals, including 42 species of mammals, 35 species of reptiles, 8 species of amphibians, and 219 species of aquatic animals.
If boats ply the rivers and canals, it disrupts the fish during their egg-laying period, so all types of boats are banned, explained Mihir Kumar Doe, Khulna Forest Conservator. He noted that this year’s ban follows the same pattern as previous years.
The local communities remain hopeful that the promised assistance will help them navigate through this challenging period.
