SATKHIRA, June 5: Plundering of resources in the Sundar bans has been going on unabated for long.
As a result, the government is being deprived of huge revenue from the world's largest mangrove forest reserve.
The Forestry Department sources said, the government earns Taka 40 crore every year from the Sundarbans. Some unscrupulous businessmen with the help of a section of corrupt officials and staff members of the Forestry Department are plundering the resources of the Sundarbans everyday causing heavy revenue losses, it has been alleged widely.
The Forestry Department authorities allegedly are not taking any step to check the plundering of resources.
Experts from home and abroad preparing reports on the Sundarbans have stressed on the need for integrated resource management to help the forestry sector in playing due role in the process of poverty alleviation and income generation.
According to concerned official sources, deer, tiger, timber.
golpatn. snake fish, honey and other resources of the Sundarbans are being plundered every day. The government prohibited hunting of wild animals tn the Sundarbans.
But professional ad non-pro* fessional hunters. Ignoring the ban. are often seen hunting animals Indiscriminately.
The number of Royal Bengal Tigers and deer is decreasing fast.
An organised gang of hunters are killing tigers to collect skins, heads, nails and teeth for smuggling.
TheJturans of BDR, posted at Nildumur recovered one tiger skin from Gabura area under Shyamnagar upazila on November 17 last year.
in April 9. 1998 Shyamnagar thana police recovered one deer skin and 20 kgs ol deer meat from Munshlgonj bus stand, on December 25. 1997 Shyamnagar thana police recovered two deer skjns also from Munshlgonj area In January 1996. Shyamnagar police recovered a tiger skin from Muhammad All of Daphankahii village in Shyamnagar upazila. On Octo-
ber 12. '95 police recovered a tiger skin from a person at village Satan! in Sadar upazila. On August 17 and October 16. 1992 Customs and police recovered three tiger and deer skins from a Dhaka bound night coach. In July 1991, police recovered three tiger skins and on June 30. 1990 police personnel recovered eight tiger skins and a huge number of teeth of Royal Bengal from Kholpetua river in the Sundarbans which were being smuggled to India.
In November. 1989. the BDR personnel raided a boat plying In the river Ichchamatl and recovered three skins of the Royal Bengal tigers.
It may be mentioned here, in a recent seminar on the Sundarbans, experts viewed that the Sundarbans’ unique ecosystem Is not only a cause ol na-tibal pride, but is equally an International heritage.
A survey was conducted by a team of British scientists led by Lord Mountain who came to the Sundarbans in 1967. After the survey, the team at that time disclosed that the number of Royal Bengal tigers was limited to only 150. After eight years of
the Survey in 1975. another survey led by Henrlca was conducted. In their report it was revealed that the number of the Royal Bengal tigers increased to 300.
In 1982, the Biological Department of Dhaka University and the Forestry Department of the Sundarbans conducted a Joint survey and revealed that the number of the tigers was around 450. But in recent years, due to Indiscriminate hunting, the population of Royal Bengal tigers in the Sundarbans has come down to 375. The death rate of tigers is higher than the birth rate in past lew years due to environmental degradation In the forest, experts said.
Besides, honey, a natural gift produced abundantly In the Sundarbans can earn a lot of money. But honey Is being exploited by unauthorised people and being sold at random in different markets in the country.
The number of deer is about two lakhs, half of which Is female. Deer is being hunted in-dlstrimlnately by a group of professional and non-professional hunters every year.