Fishermen, tourists obtain entry permits as Sundarbans to reopen tomorrow after 3-month closure

The Sundarbans will reopen tomorrow (1 September) after being closed for three months to protect wildlife and nature.

As the reopening approaches, local fishermen, beekeepers, and tour operators are finalising preparations to resume their forest-dependent businesses starting tomorrow morning.

"The ban ends tomorrow after three months. Local fishermen have already obtained entry permits from the forest authorities. We will set off for the Sundarbans early morning," said Shamim Howlader, a fisherman from Bagerhat's Sarankhola, adjacent to the Sundarbans. 

Nazmul Azam, the secretary-general of the Sundarbans Tour Operators Association (TOAS), said, "We have prepared everything for the tourists. If we get bookings, we can start taking tourists into the Sundarbans from tomorrow."

Azad Kabir Howlader, the acting officer of the Karamjal Wildlife Breeding Center in Sundarbans, said they are ready to assist forest dwellers and tourists in every way.

"The forest's life and nature have revived after being closed for three straight months. We have taken all kinds of preparations. Both local and international visitors can enter the Sundarbans from tomorrow morning with permission," said Kazi Mohammad Nurul Karim, the divisional forest officer (DFO) of Sundarbans East.

"However, the forest department remains vigilant to ensure that no one engages in illegal activities like deer hunting or any other crimes," he added.

The Sundarbans is not only rich in biodiversity but also a repository of fishery resources.

Hence, as per the recommendations of the Integrated Resources Management Planning made in 2019, fishing in all rivers and canals of the Sundarbans remains prohibited from 1 July to 31 August every year.

In 2022, in coordination with the Fisheries Department, this period was extended by one month, from 1 June to 31 August.

During this time, fishing in all rivers and canals of the Sundarbans remains halted, and a ban on tourist entries is also enforced.

Although the Sundarbans was supposed to be reopened on 1 September, thousands of forest dwellers organised a protest march and surrounded the Forest Department office in Nildumur area last Wednesday (28 August) to press for the prevention of future closures of the Sundarbans and the reopening of protected areas within the forest.

The protesters argued that the three-month closure severely impacted their livelihoods, leaving many families in a state of near starvation. They are also calling for the cancellation of a decision that has designated two-thirds of the Sundarbans as protected areas with restricted access.