Greens worried as new safari park planned
A proposal to build the country's third safari park in Lathitila forest of Moulvibazar has raised concerns among environmentalists as the construction of roads and structures will threaten the biodiversity of the forest area.
Besides, villagers who have been living and farming there for generations also question the move, fearing eviction.
However, the authorities claim environmental issues will be addressed and no one will be evicted -- while some might have to be relocated within the forest area, the safari park will open up new opportunities for them all.
Safari parks are commercial tourist attractions where animals roam freely and visitors can drive through to observe the wildlife.
The country's first safari park was established in Dulahazara of Cox's Bazar in 1999 and the second in Gazipur in 2013 -- both named after Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman -- as will be this newly proposed one.
Lathitila, a 5,141-acre forest beat of Juri Forest Range under Patharia Hill Reserve, is mostly hilly with only some plain land.
The proposal to convert this forest to a safari park comes at a time when the country's hill forest areas are shrinking fast.
According to the Forest Sector Master Plan prepared by the Forest Department, natural hill forests occupied 128,630 hectares in 1990, which declined to 79,160 hectares in 2015.
"Lathitila forest is a habitat of wildlife. The government should focus on preserving whatever forestland we have," said Ishtiaq Uddin Ahmed, former chief conservator of forest who also served as country representative of International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
A century ago, the forest area was partially barren and partially a natural bamboo garden. Starting in the early '40s, the Forest Department planted Shegun trees (teak) on 2,596 acres.
For planting and conservation, the department brought in 87 families who have been nurturing and protecting the forest since.
The forest of Shegun trees still prevails but the natural bamboo forest was mostly destroyed during a mass flowering in 2000 and is now slowly regenerating, said SM Sazzad Hossain, divisional forest officer of Sylhet.
A forest official seeking anonymity said the regeneration process of a bamboo forest needs time. If the safari park uses the land for construction and other plantations, the area's biodiversity will be at stake.
In July last year, the Tk 4.50 crore project, "Preparation of master plan and feasibility study for establishment of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib safari park at Moulvibazar" was initiated by the Forest Department.
A tender request was published on October 6, 2020 and Dhaka-based BETS Consulting Services Limited was awarded the work of the feasibility study on February 28 this year.
The firm is currently conducting a study related to the environmental, physical and economic suitability for establishment of the safari park on the proposed site.
Since the survey of the forest began for the project, around 350 families of Lalchhara, Rupachhara and Jarichhara villages have started to worry.
Babul Miah, headman of the forest villages, said, "It's been three generations we're living in the forest. We've planted and looked after thousands of Shegun trees and we're using only a little land for farming fruit and other crops.
"It will be cruel if we are evicted from the forest."
Tofayel Ahmed, a youth of Lalchhara village, said the villagers came to know of the government's plans to construct structures in the village area only when the surveyors began their work.
"We urge the government to exclude our homes and use other open land," he said.
Other villagers said the Forest Department did not inform them about the plan and officials are not confirming what will happen to them.
"We will be very happy to have a safari park in Bangabandhu's name, but without removing us from where we have lived for three generations," said Fokhor Uddin, an elderly villager of Lalchhara.
Earlier, on April 12, villagers organised a human chain at Lalchhara demanding protection of their homes and fruit gardens from eviction.
WHY THIS SITE?
Lathitila is located in remote Juri upazila.
The distance from Moulvibazar town to Juri Forest Office is around 50km with Google Maps showing an estimated travel time of between an hour and a half and two hours. And it is another 15km from Juri Forest Office to Lathitila.
Abdul Karim Kim, general secretary of Bangladesh Paribesh Andolon (Bapa) in Sylhet, said, "Lathitila is part of a very deep forest and it is in a remote area. It will not be a good idea to select the site for a safari park, considering all aspects, including nature conservation."
He added, "It would be wise to plan a safari park in parts of the forest that is easily accessible, like Barshijora Eco Park in Moulvibazar town. But no matter where they plan it, nature conservation must be given priority over constructing structures.
"And it would be unfair if villagers are evicted."
The ministry concerned, however, maintains that the government will surely consider wildlife conservation and environmental issues.
"Compared to Lathitila, Barshijora is very small and impossible to expand. Lathitila is a suitable location as Hakaluki Haor and Madhabkunda waterfall are in close proximity so that tourists can visit three sites on a day's trip," said Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Md Shahab Uddin.
"But we'll decide based on the feasibility study," he went on.
"To the best of my knowledge, a vast floristic area can be suggested to retain as a biodiversity conservation zone there. So, nature and the existing landscape will not be changed at all," said Shahab Uddin, also the lawmaker of Moulvibazar-1 constituency where all these sites are located.
He added, "There is no intention to evict the villagers, who were really appointed by the Forest Department as forest villagers. If this place is finalised, some might be relocated within the forest beat."
Md Rezaul Karim Chowdhury, the divisional forest officer (Wildlife Management and Nature Conservation Division) in Sylhet, told this newspaper in May, "if it's feasible to establish a safari park in Lathitila, we'll go for designing the master plan."
Also the project director, Rezaul added the firm conducting the feasibility study will also consider Barshijora Eco Park.
Joly Paul, an environmental activist in Moulvibazar, said, "In the name of a safari park, they [authorities] will start construction in the forest, which will eventually destroy the environment. Two existing safari parks have already proved that this will not bring anything good for the forest and environment and that's why we're protesting the decision."
Dr Mohammed Abu Sayed Arfin Khan, associate professor of forestry and environmental science at Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, said, "If a safari park seeks to protect the existing and threatened biodiversity of a certain territory, it serves the environment effectively. But the practice of establishing and managing safari parks in Bangladesh is not good.
"As we see, the key objective of a safari park here is to bring in exotic wildlife from other habitats and promote tourism which is destructive for biodiversity and the environment. They [authorities] focus on establishment rather than management and that's why the purpose of safari parks failed in Bangladesh."
The professor further said a safari park can be effective only when the authorities focus on the protection of biodiversity, uses it for education and awareness towards nature conservation, and manages it properly along with controlled ecotourism.
Prof Monirul H Khan of Jahangirnagar University observed that in Bangladesh, both safari parks and zoos primarily serve the purpose of amusement. And the visits of a large number of people, together with necessary services, pollute the entire ecosystem.
"Therefore, areas that have rich biodiversity should always be avoided while establishing a safari park. Instead, those areas, like Lathitila forest, should be declared wildlife sanctuaries."
Comments