Sundarbans tourism battered by blockade

The Sundarbans, one of the country's most popular tourism spots, witnessed a dramatic drop in visitors during the peak tourism season this winter due to the ongoing countrywide blockade enforced by the BNP-led 20-party alliance.
“Peak tourism season continues in the Sundarbans. But the local and foreign tourists could not visit the tourist spot due to the ongoing political blockade. Tourists do not want to visit the Sundarbans putting their lives at risk on highways during the blockade,” Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) of Sundarbans East Amir Hossain Chowdhury told the news agency.
He said tourists' arrival in the forest has rapidly declined in the current tourism season, which is contributing to a decline in tourism revenues from the Sundarbans area.
Private tour operating companies have been facing a setback in their business during the ongoing tourism season.
Director of the Guide Tours Limited Hasan Mahbub Bablu said they have had practically no business since the start of the ongoing indefinite blockade on January 6.
“Our four launches remain idle. Some 15 tours have already been cancelled and if the blockade continues, more tours will be cancelled,” he added.

According to the data of the forest department, some 48,921 tourists visited the Sundarbans from July to December 2014. Among them, some 46,940 were domestic tourists while 1,981 were foreign.
During the period, the department collected about Tk 45.5 lakh from tourists. But a very small amount of that revenue came in the last two months due to the countrywide political instability, and the Sundarbans is lacking tourists since January 6 due to the blockade.
According to the department, foreign tourists have to pay Tk 300 to visit the protected areas of the Sundarbans while the domestic ones Tk 150. Entry fee of Karamjol Tourists Spot is Tk 20 for domestic tourists and Tk 300 for foreign.
Pugmark Tours and Travels proprietor Nazrul Islam said his company has already incurred a loss of Tk 40 lakh.