S.M. Saiful Islam Kabir,  Sundarbans

In the world’s largest mangrove forest, the Sundarbans—renowned as a treasure trove of fish—authorities have imposed a three-month ban on fishing and honey collection in all rivers and canals, as well as a complete restriction on domestic and foreign tourist entry. The move, effective from June 1 to August 31, aims to protect the breeding season of fish, deer, tigers, and other wildlife in the Bangladeshi part of the forest.

To enforce the ban, the Forest Department halted all permits for fishermen, honey collectors, and tourists from May 24 onward. Divisional Forest Officer of the East Sundarbans, Md. Rezaul Karim Chowdhury, confirmed the restrictions, while his counterpart in the West Sundarbans, A.Z.M. Hasanur Rahman, noted that the government has designated these three months as the breeding season for aquatic and forest species. Violators of the ban will face strict legal action, he warned.

However, the decision has caused deep concern among forest-dependent fishermen, forest resource collectors, and those involved in the local tourism industry, who now face economic hardship.

Since 2019, the Forest Department has implemented a seasonal ban from July 1 to August 31 each year under the Integrated Resources Management Plan (IRMP). This was extended to three months from 2022, covering the period from June 1 to August 31. During this time, no permits are issued for entry into the forest, and all tourism is suspended.

Out of the 6,017 sq. km area of the Sundarbans in Bangladesh, 1,874.1 sq. km—around 31.15%—is water. This aquatic area is home to 210 species of finfish, 24 species of shrimp, 14 species of crab, 43 species of mollusks, and one species of lobster. The breeding season from June to August sees the hatching of new fish, and the ban is expected to help replenish aquatic populations and support biodiversity overall.

Yet, the livelihoods of thousands have been disrupted.

Fishermen such as Yahia Shikdar, Rustam Bayati, and Ali Akbar from Sharankhola in Bagerhat expressed their despair:
"How will we survive with our families during this ban? We borrow money from traders (mahajans) and fish in the rivers all year. Now we must sit idle for three months. Like the fisheries department provides aid during marine fishing bans, we demand similar incentives. Otherwise, many will be forced to enter the forest illegally to survive."

Fish traders like Jalal Molla and Tuhin Bayati from Sharankhola market said the peak fishing season has been halted, leading to annual losses worth millions. With loans to repay, they say at least 20,000 fishermen will likely resort to illegal fishing during the ban.

Tour operator Abdullah Boni stated that over 2,000 families dependent on tourism have plunged into economic crisis due to the three-month entry ban. He urged the government to reduce the restriction period to one month to lessen the burden.

DFO Md. Rezaul Karim Chowdhury reaffirmed that the annual ban is necessary to allow safe breeding for wildlife and aquatic species. Since May 24, all permits have been suspended, and people removed from the forest. Awareness campaigns are underway in nearby communities.

He added that a proposal has been submitted to the Ministry of Forests to provide food aid and incentives to poor forest-dependent people, based on updated beneficiary lists.

Yet, ground realities are grim. In the island union of Gabura in Satkhira’s Shyamnagar upazila, villagers like Akhtar Hossain (42), Shawkat Hossain (55), Rezaul Karim (42), and others told this reporter they are receiving only 72 kg of rice for three months and nothing more.

"This aid was allocated for BL-signed fishermen," they said, "but political favoritism means even those who’ve never set foot in the Sundarbans are getting rice, while real forest workers are being silenced."

Tushar Majumder, Senior Fisheries Officer of Shyamnagar, said,
"We have 24,000 registered fishermen in the upazila, but government aid only covers 8,000 families. Unfortunately, we can’t do anything more because the allocation is only for BL-registered fishermen."

Madhujit Raptan, President of the Shyamnagar Fishermen’s Association, warned,
"If the government cannot ensure proper aid for the affected families, they will inevitably turn to illegal forest entry. When children are starving, a father cannot always remember the law. The government must expand support or offer alternative livelihoods to make the ban truly effective."