District
20,000 Sundarbans fishermen, woodcutters lose livelihood for sanctuary expansion
Khulna, Sept 29 (UNB) – About 20,000 fishermen and woodcutters of the Sundarbans have been living a measurable life for the last three months due to the extension of its wildlife sanctuary at Sharonkhola range ‘without making any rehabilitation plan’ for those who depend on the forest for their livelihood.
As the Forest and Environment Ministry designated 73 percent of Sharonkhola range of the Sundarbans as wildlife sanctuary, many fishermen have turned unemployed as they cannot enter the forest for fishing.
Al Amin, a fisherman from Charpara village of the upazila, said, “I had been earning my living from fishing in the Sundarbans since my 15 years of age. I had to take loan from mohajon (money lenders) as I couldn’t go for fishing in the forest for the last three months. Now the money lenders are forcing me to return their money…I don’t know how I’ll repay it.”
Another fisherman, Mamun, said now fishermen have access to 27 percent of the Sharonkhola range where only 200 to 300 fishermen can go for fishing. As a result, the rest of the fishermen have lost their work, and are living in misery.
“After the sanctuary was declared, I went to Chattogram to earn living but had to return after working as a day-labourer for a week,” he said alleging that as schoolteachers there refused to enroll his children as they were not permanent residents there.
Jalal Molla, a fish trader of Sharonkhali market, said they need to provide loans to fishermen to send them for fishing in the forest, but now the business got stopped.
Bachchu Munshi, a ward member of Southkhali Union Parishad, told UNB that if the situation does not change many fishermen of the region will be forced to leave their village to find alternative works.
Contacted, Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) of the Sundarbans East Forest Zone Md Mahmudul Hasan said a Tk-406 crore project is coming soon to protect the Sundarbans and for those who have turned unemployed due to the extension of the sanctuary.
Under the project, Tk 250 crore will be spent on rehabilitation of the unemployed people under a five-year livelihood development programme, the DFO added expressing his hope that the unemployed fishermen will get out of the crisis soon.
In July 2017, the government issued a new notification on expansion of the sanctuary areas in different parts of the Sundarbans. With this notification, another 178,260 hectares of land were added to the existing sanctuary, giving half of Bangladesh’s Sundarbans a sanctuary status.
Of the additional 178260 hectares of sanctuary, 91,693 hectares are under Sundarbans East division in Sarankhola; 38,339 hectares under Sundarbans South division in Khulna; and 48,216 hectares under Sundarbans West division in Satkhira, said sources at the Forest Department.
The government has banned the collection of forest resources from the sanctuary areas, aiming to help increase the biodiversity of the forest, including the wildlife and trees.
‘Robber’ killed in Jhenidah ‘gunfight’
Jhenidah, Sept 29 (UNB) – A suspected robber was killed in a reported gunfight between two groups of robbers at Bongkira village in Sadar upazila early Saturday.
The deceased was identified as Sofi Uddin alias Mona, 40, son of Subarak Mondal of Charkol village and an accused in several robbery cases.
Following information that a gunfight between two gangs of robbers was going on, a team of police reached the spot around 3am, said Emdadul Haque Sheikh, officer-in-charge of Sadar Police Station.
The law enforcers claimed that they found the bullet-hit body when they reached the spot.
They also recovered one shooter gun, one round of bullet, two bombs and equipment used in robbery from the spot.
Police sent the body it to Sadar Health Complex.
Teen ‘tortured to death’ by police in Shariatpur
Shariatpur, Sept 28 (UNB) – A teenage boy was allegedly tortured to death by police in Ananda Bazar area of Zanjira upazila on Thursday night.
Derailment halts Mymensingh’s train communication
Mymensingh, Sept 28 (UNB) – Rail communications of Mymensingh with the rest of the country was suspended following the derailment of a freight train near Mymensingh Railway Station on Friday morning.
Sexagenarian stabbed dead in Sylhet
Sylhet, Sept 28 (UNB) – A sexagenarian man was stabbed to death by miscreants in Kurua area of Osmaninagar upazila early Friday.
Youth held with 5 gold bars along Benapole border
Jashore, Sept 28 (UNB)- Members of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB)arrested a young man along with 5 gold bars weighing around 500 grams from Barpotabazar area under Benapole Port Police Station on Friday.
Youth’s floating body found in Munshiganj
Munshiganj, Sept 28 (UNB) – Police recovered the floating body of an unidentified young man from Dhaleshwar iriver in Noyagaon area of Sadar upazila on Friday morning.
50 BNP, Jamaat men sued in Habiganj
Habiganj, Sept 28 (UNB) – A case was filed against 50 leaders and activists of BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami, including Bahubal upazila BNP unit president, on Thursday night in connection with recovery of crude and Molotov bombs.
Youth found dead in Magura
Magura, Sept 28 (UNB) – Police recovered the throat-slit body of an unidentified young man from Garai River at Chakda village in Sripur upazila on Friday.
18 shops gutted in Fairdpur fire
Faridpur, Sept 28 (UNB) – At least 18 shops were gutted in a fire which broke out at Haat Krishnapur Bazar in Sadarpur upazila on Thursday night.