Three-member probe's report on back-to-back Sundarban fires reaches DFO's desk

A probe committee formed by the Forest Department has submitted its investigation report on the recent fires in two separate areas of the Sundarbans in Bangladesh, the country's first UNESCO World Heritage Site, but failed to pinpoint the cause of the fires.

On March 22, a fire broke out at Tepar Beel in the Dhan Sagar area of the Chandpai Range under Sharankhola Upazila, and was extinguished the next day. Another fire was spotted on March 23 at Shaplar Beel under Morelganj Upazila. It took four days to fully bring the flames under control.

Following the incidents, Divisional Forest Officer Kazi Muhammad Nurul Karim of the Sundarbans East Division formed two three-member committees led by the Assistant Conservator of Forests Dipan Chandra Das. Meanwhile, the Forest Department also formed a five-member national-level committee, headed by the Conservator of Forests for the Khulna region, which is still investigating the fires.

The report theorises seven possible causes for the fires that recently broke out in the Shaplar Beel and Tepar Beel areas under the Chandpai Range of the Sundarbans East Division. The total loss from the fires is estimated at approximately Tk 10.5 lakh citing damage to flora, biodiversity, and the environment. The fires affected a total of 6.63 acres of forest land - 4.43 acres at Shaplar Beel and 2.20 acres at Tepar Beel.

Assistant Conservator of Forests (ACF) Dipan Chandra Das, head of both three-member probe committees, told UNB that they submitted separate reports to the Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) on April 7.

Though the committee could not specify the exact cause, it listed seven probable ones, including unauthorised entry of honey collectors (mouals), who may have started fires while smoking or using fire-based equipment during honey collection, cattle herders, and deliberate arson by miscreants intending to tarnish the department’s reputation.

The report also cited geographical changes — such as siltation of rivers and canals like the Bhola and Khorma — as contributing factors, restricting tidal flow and creating dry forest floors that are more susceptible to fire.

The estimated loss from the fire at Shaplar Beel was slightly higher at Tk 6.5 lakh, with losses to biodiversity and the environment valued at Tk 3 lakh alone.

At Tepar Beel, the report quotes an estimated loss of Tk 4 lakh.

Key recommendations

The committees led by ACF Das came up with some recommendations to guard against future fires in the region, including re-excavation of the Bhola River's canals to restore tidal flow.

Another recommendation relates to the difficulty firefighters faced in finding adequate water sources nearby which they could then use to effectively mount a a dousing operation. In both cases, the Fire Service was forced to first construct pipelines from the nearest water source (which happened to be quite some distance away) that they could then connect to their spraying machines.

It was thus recommended to construct water reservoirs and small fire extinguishing units in forest camps, and also to install fire watchtowers and conduct increased drone monitoring.

Other recommendations include deployment of additional manpower during the dry season, and training forest staff on fire management providing proper equipment.

DFO Nurul Karim said the findings and recommendations have been sent to higher authorities and necessary actions will be taken accordingly.