New patrol outposts to enhance safety for Sundarbans forest guards

The recently constructed patrol outposts under the 'Protection of Sundarbans Mangrove Forest Project' are set to provide crucial shelter for forest guards and foresters during the upcoming monsoon season.

Two new outposts in the Hayatkhali and Bojboja areas were completed in the last fiscal year and are now operational.

Additionally, ongoing construction of outposts at Nalian Station, Hadda, Sharbatkhali, Shakbaria, and Pashkhali under the Khulna range, as well as the Kalagachia patrol camp under the Satkhira range, is expected to be finished soon.

The government initiative aims to protect forest guards from natural calamities such as cyclonic storms and tidal surges, which pose significant dangers to their lives. 

The three-storey office-staff barracks of the Sundarbans Protection Project have become a safe place for the forest guards during natural disasters, said Bojboja patrol camp In Charge Mizanur Rahman, and Hayatkhali camp In Charge Md Muktadir, noting the improved morale among the forest guards due to the enhanced security.

The Sundarbans, the world's largest mangrove forest, serves as a vital shield against natural disasters, protecting the coastal population. The Tk157.87 crore project, which started in January 2021, is set to be completed by December this year, according to the Forest Department.

The project includes the construction of 28 new outposts and two range offices.

Additional initiatives under the project involve the re-excavation of the Bhola and Aruaber rivers and Kharma canals, alongside research and survey works focusing on the Sundarbans. 

Key activities of the project include training Forest Department officials in wildlife crime control, wildlife conservation, primary treatment, SMART patrolling, wildlife habitat observation, and other essential skills. This training aims to enhance their efficiency and response to the diverse challenges within the Sundarbans.

Dr Abu Naser Mohsin, Khulna Divisional Forest Officer for the Sundarbans West Zone, emphasized the project's significance. The long-standing housing problem of forest guards will be solved through this initiative, he said. 

Post-implementation, they will have detailed ecological data on trees, plants, animals, birds, water salinity, and aquatic life, he added.

The Center for Environmental and Geographic Information Services (CEGIS) and the Arannyak Foundation have been conducting research for two years, with findings expected to be available by December 2025. 

This research includes studying the biodiversity of the Sundarbans, the impacts of climate change, increasing salinity, early disease diagnosis in Sundari trees, and the lifecycle of forest animals and aquatic resources.

"Biodiversity and aquatic resources of the Sundarbans, an invaluable resource of Bangladesh, need to be researched in a multidimensional and coordinated way," said Prof Anwarul Quadir, executive director of Sundarbans Academy.

"We have been demanding the government form a separate ministry for the Sundarbans to ensure its protection and preservation."