Efforts are being taken to attract tourists to the Sunderbans – the biggest mangrove forest in the world. As part of this, projects to renovate four eco parks and set up seven new ones were taken. There is also plan to purchase fast water vessels to save tourists from inclement weather.
These projects worth Tk 250 million have received primary approval. People of many ages come to the Sunderbans, but the facilities for tourists have not increased and emergency medical treatment, supply of fresh water, adequate security and clean water have not been ensured as yet.
The watch towers, jetties in the forest are in a precarious state. Forest conservator, Md Moinuddin Khan, said: “Every season, 150,000 to 200,000 local and foreign tourists come to the Sunderbans and the revenue income from the forest is more than Tk 20 million.”
There are seven eco parks for tourists; in such a situation, a proposal was made to adopt an expansion project, which will be implemented from July next.
The common complaint by many of the tourists is that there isn’t any supply of fresh water.
The security of Kotka, Kochikhal needs to be raised because tourist ships stop here. In addition, the mobile network in these areas is almost zero. The staff of the ship use their own radio channel and can contact the security services but measures to ward off attacks on tourists are inadequate.
By the time security forces come, the miscreants will be able to move to safety.
MD of Evergreen Tours, Mazharul Islam Kochi, says: “The security system is still precarious and each launch gets only two forest guards, who are often aged and do not have enough capacity to use firearms.”
The tourists also do not have proper accommodation and are often forced to spend the night on their boats. The wooden watch towers are rickety and the tourist launches are not allowed to use the forest department jetties.
Forest official of Sunderban west, Bashirul Al Mamun, says: “Steps have been taken to offer more facilities to the tourists, the issue of separate jetties is being given importance and tour guides are given proper training to remain alert at all times.”
Saying that tourists have to be cautious about maintaining the sanctity of the forest, the official added: “Sometimes tourists make a lot of noise, throw plastic packets which is harmful for the environment. To change such habits, awareness is needed.”
Meanwhile, some flaws in the Sunderban tourism friendly project will be fixed, one of which is placing watch towers which are over 70 feet because the highest trees are between 65-70 feet. Earlier, the approved height was 50 feet.
The current guard posts are made of bamboo where forest guards reside with weapons and such structures are risky for the safekeeping of weapons. Efforts will also be taken to reduce such risks.