We are failing the Sundarbans miserably

Fires are a disturbingly common occurrence in the Sundarbans, as revealed by a recent Dhaka Tribune report, in the past 22 years, the Sundarbans’ East Forest Division alone has experienced 32 fire incidents. Despite investigations being launched as soon as a fire breaks out, recommendations made by investigation committees to prevent future fires have often largely gone unheeded.
The Sundarbans remains one of Bangladesh’s most valuable assets, not only because of its iconic beauty but in large part due to its unique ecosystem and biodiversity. The forest not only attracts thousands of tourists every year, but shields the country against natural calamities, and provides livelihoods worth thousands of crores to local communities, reports DT.
Why, then, does the administration keep playing fast and loose when it comes to the forest’s preservation measures?
Apropos of every major fire in the area, inquiry committees have made crucial recommendations over the past decades aimed at determining the cause, assessing damage, and proposing preventive measures. Yet, none of the recommendations have resulted in any concrete action, the repercussions of which have seen not only fires but other forms of calamities -- such as a particularly devastating oil spill 10 years ago -- occurring as well.
The economic contribution of the Sundarbans notwithstanding, the forest is also an incredibly important component in our nation’s natural defenses against the man-made effects of climate change. Given Bangladesh’s incredibly vulnerable position in this fight, allowing fires and other forms of devastation to keep occurring in the Sundarbans is tantamount to the entire nation shooting itself in the foot.
We need to do better by the Sundarbans.