Sundarbans to get 4 eco-tourism centres

The forest department has decided to build four new tourist centres for planned eco-tourism in the Sundarbans as the number of tourists is increasing day by day.

The centres are being developed in Alibandha of Sharankhola range, Andharmanik of Chandpai range of the East Sundarbans division and Sheikhertek and Kailashganj of West Sundarban division at a total cost of Tk 24.99 crore.

The tourists will able to see the wildlife and the mangrove forest with the highest security, said Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) of Eastern Sundarbans Division Mahmudul Hasan.

“As the eco-tourists are increasing day by day, we will build a modern gangway or jetty so that they can easily get on or off vessels. We will also make watchtowers for the tourist to see the natural sceneries of the Sundarbans,” he added.

“We have decided to make an adequate number of wooden paths, restrooms with modern washrooms, as well as other facilities,” he added.

Unesco declared 1,39,700 hectares of forests of East Wildlife Sanctuary Katka-Kanchikhali, Nilkumal South Sanctuary and West Sanctuary as the 798th World Heritage Site in 1996. Since then, the number of domestic and foreign eco-tourists in this mangrove forest has increased significantly every year, the DFO said.

Around 1,83,890 tourists, both local and foreign, visited the Sundabans in the fiscal year 2016-17, which rose to around 2,21,969 in the fiscal year 2017-2018. In that fiscal year, the forest department earned Tk 2 crore as revenue from the tourism sector, the forest officer said.

 The local people of the Sundarbans said the number of local and foreign eco-tourists is increasing in the Karamjal, Harbariya, Katka, Jamtala, Tiger Point, Badamtala Sea , Kachikhali, Dubala Sutki Palli, Dubeyaki, Kalagachia, Mandarbariya and Hiran Point-Nilkamal areas.

East Sundarbans Division officials said the Sundarbans is the largest mangrove forest in the world, covering an area of  6,017 sq km in Bangladesh.

There are 210 species of fish, 24 species of shrimp, 14 species of crabs, and one species of lobster and other aquatic creatures in the Sundarbans's 1,874.1 sq km waterbodies

In the Sundarbans, the main tree is Sundari, with 334 species of plants, 165 species of algae and 13 species of orchids. There are 375 species of wild animals in the Sundarbans. Among them are the Royal Bengal Tiger, Chitral and Maya deer, six species of dolphins, including Irabotir, saline water crocodiles, turtles, King Cobras and other species of snakes. There are 315 species of birds, DFO Mahmudul Hasan.

The sunset and sunrise are seen from the sea beach of Badamtala of Katka of East Sundarbans of Bagerhat. Besides, the local and foreign tourists have an additional interest in the biodiversity of the Sundarbans.

The DFO also expressed his concern about the impact of climate change, reduced flow of sweet water due to the Farakka dam and man-made hazards as they threaten the bio-diversity of the Sundarbans. Reproduction of Roy Bengal Tiger, deer and other wildlife is also hampered due to those reasons.

The forest department is giving importance to environment-friendly and planned eco-tourism with greater protection of the biodiversity of the Sundarbans, he said, adding that the department is building the four eco-centres for planned eco-tourism.