Entry barred at Sundarbans' Sarankhola range due to recurring fires

The Forest Department has stopped issuing entry permits to the Sarankhola Range a day after it suspended passes for the Chandpai Range following a series of fires in the Sundarbans blamed on miscreants.

People who are already in the forest to catch fish, collect honey and firewood were told on Friday to leave as soon as possible.

The Sundarbans, the world's largest mangrove forests, have seen repeated outbreaks of fire within a month.

“Those who are still inside Sarankhola and Chandpai range with valid passes have been advised to come out because of the recurring fires,” said Md Jahir Uddin, conservator of forests (CF) for the Khulna region. 

The restriction, he said, did not apply to local and foreign tourists. 

Forest officials said the latest fire at Chandpai’s Tulatala area was under control but fire service personnel reported having seen smoke rising from various parts of the forest range on Friday afternoon.

The area in the eastern Sundarbans caught fire around 4pm Wednesday, the fourth such incident in a month.

The authorities on Thursday issued a special warning at the Chandpai Range, besides suspending passes for people dependent on the forest’s resources for livelihood.

“The fire set by miscreants is different this time. They have set fire to 20 places within several kilometres, so it took time for us to detect and put them out,” said CF Jahir Uddin.

The fire service personnel will not be leaving just yet. They will stay to observe the situation with forest officials.” 

Three fire-fighting units had worked inside the mangrove forest until Wednesday evening. They were joined by 12 more personnel from Khulna on Friday morning.

“Strong winds are disrupting the work. We are still seeing smoke.”