‘Cartel of the powerful’ sets Sundarbans on fire to gain control of forests, say locals

A ‘powerful group’ is setting parts of the Sundarbans on fire to have access to large water bodies used for fishing and to gain control over forest resources, allege local inhabitants.

Several low-lying acres of forests under the Dhansagar Station of the Chandpai Range have a bowl-like form that stays dry in the summer but turns into lakes with an abundant stock of fish during the rains.
 
People’s representatives of the region say several hundred fishers catch a variety of fish and others during the rainy season without the forest department’s permission, though the value of their catch runs into millions of taka.
 

File Photo

A cartel of people wielding considerable influence arranges for fishermen to illegally enter the forest in exchange of money.

Locals claim they make a section of forest officials ‘fall in line’ to control fishing activities and resort to acts of sabotage to retain their dominance over the forest.

Forest department officials do not categorically deny the charge but say action would be taken against employees if found to be involved.

At least 16 fires have been reported over the past 12 years in the Chandpai Range’s Dhansagar Station alone. There have been four incidents of forest fires between Mar 27 and Apr 27 this year.

The forest department banned the collection of all forest produce in two ranges in the eastern part of the Sundarbans after the last fire on Apr 27 in Tulatola, a part of Dhansagar Station.

Although the department had not filed any case in connection with earlier incidents of fire, it has now gone to court, filing three cases over the blazes on Apr 13, 18 and 27.