Forest guards of Sundarbans unguarded

Prof. ABM. Mosharraf Husain, Bagerhat :

The forest, surrounded with water, is known as “Sundarbans”. It is the biggest mangrove forest in the world and one of the world heritages. The forest is spread over 10 thousand sauore kilometers and about two third portions (6017 sauore kilometers) of it are situated within Bangladesh territory. Those who are taking care of this vast and inaccessible forest are known as the forest guards (in Bengali Banarakkhi). But unfortunately their life is unguarded and insecure. They have no modern water vessels and other equipment. So, they are to chase and face the miscreants risking their lives.
According to the forest guards, water vessel is the only means to go from one area to another. Crimes are happened centering this ‘beautiful’ Sundarbans almost every day. Miscreants and jungle pirates cut the wood of the forest and take them away very often. On the other hand, poachers hunt the deer of the forest and even the Royal Bengla tigers, known as the real guards of the forest. Not only that but also the fishermen catch fish from the forest without seeking any permission from the concerned authorities. But the Sundarbans forest department has no sufficient number of water vessels. On the other hand, for want of the fuel oil those water vessels cannot be used at the time of requirements. So, in some cases when the forest guards are discharging their duties in the deep forest and if any one of them falls ill one (he) is to wait for hours together for a fishing trawler in order to go outside of the forest for taking treatment. It is a very tough job for him (who falls ill) to take treatment from a physician or a health clinic in the human habitations. On the other hand, when, sometimes, food is exhausted in the patrol outposts in the deep forest the forest guards are to face the same troubles to buy food from the human habitations. In some cases the forest guards are forced to lend food from the fishermen to live on. There is an acute crisis of pure drinking water in the forest. The forest is surrounded with saline water. So, it is said, water, water every where is water; but not a single drop to drink. They are also deprived of risking allowance, rationing and other facilities.
The official source informed that there is a CF (Conservator of Forests) to control the whole forest resources of Sundarbans and discharge the general administration of the same. There are two Divisions-Eastern and Western under him. 2 DFOs (Divisional Officers of Forests) are discharging the administration of the 2 Divisions. Each Division consists of 2 Forest Range Offices and under them there are as many as 63 patrol outposts. Those patrol outposts are not safe for the forest guards at the time of cyclone, storms, water surges and other natural calamities. There are water vessels under each of the 63 (forest) patrol outposts. But for want of requisite quantities of fuel oil the water vessels cannot be used at the time requirement and emergency. Taking this opportunity the smugglers, jungle pirates and other miscreants raise their heads in Sundarbans now and then.
Hawladar Azad Kabir, Officer-in-charge of Karamjal Wild Animal Breeding Centre under the deep Eastern Division of Sundarbans told the newsmen, for want of modern water vessels the forest guards of Sundarbans are to face troubles to conduct the raids against the miscreants. On the other hand, they (miscreants) have modern and speedy water vessels. So, the forest guards cannot chase the miscreants with their old, outdated and non-speedy water vessels and consequently, the forest guards lag behind the miscreants and in many cases the forest guards fail to arrest the miscreants. He added, the forest guards have only old and outdated Chinise rifles and SLRs. But jungle pirates and other miscreants have most ultra modern weapons. So, the forest guards cannot subdue the jungle pirates, smugglers and other miscreants with their old and outdated fire arms.
Abdus Sabur, Nazrul Islam and Ohidul Islam, forest guards of Katka and Kachikhali patrol outposts said that though thay are discharging full time duties risking their lives but they get no extra facilities like risking allowance, rationing and other facilities from the Sundrbans Forest Department. They added that their lives are insecure in the deep forest and they are getting low payment. So, we are to live in distress and miseries. They also told, it is very difficult on our part to go to the human habitations in order to purchase medicines and daily necessary requirements from the patrol outposts which are situated in the deep forest. They cannot live in the patrol outposts at the time of flood and water surges. They complained, most of the patrol outposts are not fit for living purposes.
The executive authorities of Sundarbans forest department commented, Sundarbans is playing an important role in the economy of the country as the government earns some several undred crores Taka every financial year from this forest. So, they want to modernize the maintaining system of Sundarbans and the forest guards
Muhammad Belayet Hossain, DFO (Divisional Forest Officer), the Eastern Division of Sundarbans Forest (in Bagerhat district) told, an acute shortage of the man power engaged in the careful protection of the forest (Sundarbans) has been prevailing for long. In order to solve the problem a proposal was sent to the authorities concerned to add modern and speedy water vessels to the Sundarbans. The DFO added, steps were already taken by the government to increase the facilities for the forest guards.
In this connection Habibun Nahar, State Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Exchange affairs disclosed recently, the government is working for increasing the facilities for the forest guards who are engaged in the protection of Sundarbans. She added, facilities of the forest guards were already increased to some extent in comparison with the past. Under “the Careful Protection of Sundarbans and Eco-tourism Project” development works for both Sundarbans and the forest guards are going on.
The State Minister also disclosed, under the Eco-tourism Project works including the purchasing of 5 water vessels for the forest guards of a sum of Tk.25 crores is also going on. Besides this, under the “Careful Protection of Sundarbans Programme” including the purchasing of 4 water vessels of a sum of Tk.3 crores is ongoing and side by side works of several crores are under process in the current financial year.