Sundarbans: The forest department has embarked on a significant initiative to install nylon fencing around the Sundarbans, aiming to mitigate conflicts between tigers and humans in nearby areas. This effort is part of a broader strategy to alleviate the fear among tourists and the approximately 30,000 residents of villages adjacent to the Sundarbans.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the initiative, known as the “Sundarbans Tiger Conservation Project,” is spearheaded by the forest and environment ministry. The project aims to reduce human-tiger conflicts and increase the tiger population within the world’s largest mangrove forest. Various activities are planned under this project, including conducting surveys on tigers and their prey, constructing high dunes and watchtowers, researching canine distemper virus in tigers, and providing awareness training for Village Tiger Response Team (VTRT) and Community Petrol Group (CPG) members.
The project director’s office noted that the installation of nylon fencing began in August 2024 at different points under the Sharonkhola and Chandpai Range of East Sundarbans, with a budget of Taka 1.88 crore. In the initial phase, 5 kilometers of nylon fencing and 10 kilometers of concrete pillars have been set up from Daser Varani Forest outpost to Nangli Dhansagar area.
Local residents have reported changes in the Bhola River’s flow, leading to increased incidents of wild animals, including tigers, entering villages at night and preying on livestock. Over the past decade, there have been at least 50 reported instances of tigers entering villages in the Morelganj and Sharonkhola upazilas. Villagers have resorted to lynching tigers in response to these incursions.
Villagers like Zahidul Howlader, Nur Islam, and Hasina Begum from North Rajapur expressed optimism that the completed fencing will prevent wild animals from entering their locality. Bipuleshwar Debnath, Station Officer of East Sundarbans of Chandpai Range, emphasized the importance of the fencing in protecting the forest and urged locals not to damage it.
Kazi Muhammad Nurul Karim, Divisional Forest Officer of East Sundarbans Division and acting project director, stated that the nylon fencing is being constructed in response to local demand to prevent wild animals from entering villages. The project plans to extend the fencing to cover 60 kilometers, including areas like Gulishakhali, Amburbunia, Dhansagar, Bogi, and Charkhali.
The forest department is hopeful that the successful implementation of this project will resolve tiger-human conflicts, reduce tiger killings by humans, and increase the tiger population. The project also includes plans to construct 12 high dunes within the Sundarbans to provide shelter for tigers during floods, storms, and high tides, and to install a monitoring tower in the Dhansagar area to manage fires effectively.