Sundarbans fire tamed, probe opens

The devastating fire that ravaged the Sundarbans for the last two days has come under control following daylong efforts by fire fighters and forest workers.

Forest Department and Fire Service officials on Friday evening confirmed bdnews24.com of dousing the flames.

The Forest Department has formed a three-strong committee to find out the reasons of the fire.

Morrelganj fire service station officer Md Ariful Haq said water was sprayed targeting fumes from around 8am to 6pm.

He said no fume was seen anywhere since evening.

SMA Bakir, forest officer at Dhansagar station under Chandpai range of east Sundarbans, said the blaze came under full control in the evening.

Forest officers said the fire broke out on Wednesday afternoon in Poinshotti Chhila near Gulishakhali camp under Chandpai range.

Workers of the Forest Department tried to douse the fire spraying water from the canals nearby, but the blaze engulfed a vast tract of the world’s largest mangrove forest on Thursday morning.

Later, a fire-fighting unit joined the efforts and tried to extinguish the blaze creating ‘line of fire’.

Ariful said the firefighters resumed work at 8am after overnight break.

Divisional Forest Officer Amir Hossain said an investigation committee was formed on Thursday night to find out the reasons of the fire.

Chandpai Assistant Conservator of Forest Abul Kalam will head the committee while its other members are Dhangmari forest station officer Shahidul Islam and Jiudhora forest station officer Sultan Mahmud.

The committee, which will also determine forest resources lost to the fire, has been asked to submit its report in three working days.