Prof. ABM. Mosharraf Husain
The season for collecting of “Golpata (Gol leaves)” is from November to April 07. A few years ago, the Bawalis (who collect Gol-leaves and forest trees) of the Sundaban area used to spend a lot of time during this period. Since Golpata houses were popular on the coastal areas, there was a lot of  demand for it. The scenario has changed with the passage of time. Now, the Golpata market has fallen due to the popularity of tin houses. This time, even though  the season is coming to an end, the Bawalis are not getting much response. Their interest incollecting Golpata has decreased. According to the concerned authorities and local sources, due to the strictness of the forest department, the interest of the Bawalis in collecting Golpata has started decreasing since the last few years. Among them, the locals have lost interest in Golpata as the price of tin is much lower now. People are now building houses with tin as tin is cheaper and more durable than golpata. In this regard, Golpata trader one Belayet Hossain awholesale dealer of Golpat of Bagmara, a well- known wholesale market Golpata under SadarUpazila in Bagerhat district told, a very small house (7.5 feet by 7.5 feet) requires at least Tk. 5 thousand of thatch, but a house of the same size can be built with Tk. 4 to 4.5 thousand of tin. Moreover, thethatch has to be replaced every two to three years,but tin lasts for many years. That is why people are now building houses with tin instead of Gol leaves. The market for thatch is not what it used to be.Besides, the Bawalis are losing interest in collecting thatch due to the strictness of the forest department in various rules. Talking to the Bawalis, it was learned that the poorest people in remote areas of the coastal areas still using thatch houses. This number is very small. A small number of Bawalis are still in this profession (collecting thatch) to maintain the old profession. Meanwhile, Emon Hossain, a leaf trader on Madrasa Road in Mongla Pourashava, Shahjahan of Kumarkhali and Abul Mridha of Makardhon told the Bawalis have to pay a lot of money for the leaf business. Even after paying, they do not allow the leaves cut from the forest to be stored properly. In addition, there is no demand for them in the market because the Bawalis do not cut the leaves regularly. For those reasons, traders are also getting discourage. Those traders also added, earlier, various types of trees from the forest were cut down as ballast on both sides of the boat carrying the leaf. But now cutting them has been banned. As a result, the costs of the traders are increasing due to cutting down native trees as ballast and carrying them with them. For those reasons, they are losing interest in the leaf business. In Mongla city, only a handful of dealers have maintained their business.Talking to forest officials of the Eastern and Western Divisions of Sundarbans on those issues, it was learned that there are three Golpata wells in the Eastern Sundarbans division (in Bagerhat district) at Sharankhola, Chadpai and Shayla. Of those, 95 percent of the area of Sharankhola has been declared as sanctuary forest, so the Government completely banned the collection of all types of forest resources including fish and Golpata there. As a result, collection Golpata from that area has been stopped for the last three years. In addition to that, permits are being given to the Bawalis to collect Golpata from the other two wells (certain areas from where Golpata is collected). So far, 41 boat passes have been given to the Shayla well. After the collection of Golpata from this well is completed, passes for the Chadpai well will be given. The Forest Department further informed that theseason for collecting Golpata in the Sundarbans isbasically from November to first week of April. Butdue to various reasons, the Bawalis have startedcutting Golpata quite late this time. Kazi Nurul Karim, Divisional Forest Officer of theSundarbans  (in Bagerhat district) told, earlier, theBawalis would bring big boats and cut excess Golpata without a permit. Although they would profit more from this, the Forest Department would be deprived of real revenue. As a result, instructions have been given to use only 14-meter-long boats instead of big boats from last year. In addition, the number of Bawalis is slightly less this time as rules have been made on using boat hulls made of native trees or wood without cutting any trees in the forest.Regarding the reason for the decrease in the number of Bawalis collecting Golpata, the Divisional Officer of the Easter Sundabans further added, comparatively, the price of tin is lower than that of Golpata. Moreover, Golpata has to be changed after 2/3 years. But the use of tin is long-lasting. That is
why the market for Golpata is not what it used to be. This is one of the reasons behind the less demand
of Golpata He also added, earlier, Golpata was used in homes, but now its use has almost disappeared.
Only poor people in remote areas continue to use it. And the rich are now using Gol leaves in shrimp

The wirter is a professor .