S.M. Saiful Islam Kabir,  Sundarbans

During the current season of Golpata (Nypa palm leaf) harvesting in the Sundarbans— the world’s largest mangrove forest and a UNESCO World Heritage Site—harvesters (bawalis) are allegedly  forced to pay bribes at every step.

 They allege that bribes are being collected not only in the names of forest officials but also in the names of bandits, coordinators, and even journalists. While the government collects official revenue per boatload of Golpata, the bribes demanded are multiple times higher than the official fee.

Sources say bawalis, to avoid losses, are carrying more Golpata than the permitted quantity and also smuggling tree logs under the guise of palm leaves. This is causing long-term damage to the forest. Many bawalis, unable to bear the losses, have even announced the closure of their Golpata businesses.

Khalilur Rahman, a bawali unloading Golpata from a boat anchored on the bank of the Koyra River, said,
"Those who eat, also take bribes. Entering the forest means paying off the foresters. Otherwise, there will be various harassments, fines. Even those who now claim to have re-freed the country, they too take money. Compared to before, we have to pay even more bribes now."

Mosharraf Hossain, Khulna district coordinator of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, said, extorting money from bawalis goes against our spirit. We do not support such actions. If anyone from our organization is found involved in such activities, we will take organizational disciplinary action. Those extorting in the name of coordinators must be brought to justice."

Divisional Forest Officer of the Western Sundarbans, A.Z.M. Hasanur Rahman, said he would investigate the issue of bribes being collected from bawalis beyond the officially mandated revenue. On tree felling, he clarified that bawalis are not allowed to cut any trees along with Golpata, nor can they transport wood even as part of the boat structure (jhool).

According to the Forest Department, this year’s Golpata harvesting season in Khulna range of the Western Sundarbans began on February 3 and will end on March 31. In the first phase, 89 boats were granted 28-day permits to harvest and return. Each boat is allowed to carry a maximum of 186 quintals (around 500 mon) of Golpata, with a revenue of Tk. 60 per quintal payable to the Forest Department.

On Tuesday morning, during a visit to the banks of Shakbaria and Koyra rivers adjacent to the Sundarbans, bawalis were seen neatly stacking harvested Golpata near the riverbanks. Although the limit per boat is 500 mon, many were carrying 2,000 to 2,500 mon. Large logs were hung on the sides of the boats, and beneath the Golpata bundles, valuable tree segments like Sundari and Pashur were hidden.

Several bawalis mentioned that during this first phase starting February 3, they had to pay much more to forest officials than to the dacoits or even official government revenue. Bribes were paid during permit approvals at forest stations, during inspections at kups (forest checkpoints), while crossing guarded areas, transferring permits (city cutting), and in the names of coordinators and journalists. In total, they had to pay an extra Tk. 30,000 to Tk. 40,000 in bribes. Fearing financial loss, many took the risk of overloading their boats with Golpata and illegally harvested timber.

Bawali Abdus Salam said, this season, paying bribes to foresters and extortion money to dacoits has led to huge losses. No other season cost this much. While we paid Tk. 12,000 as official government fee for boat clearance, we were forced to pay Tk. 30,000 in bribes to forest officers. Then came demands from dacoits, coordinators, and journalists. In total, I had to spend an extra Tk. 70,000—two to three times more than last year. 

A Golpata boat with 500 mon capacity typically generates around Tk. 12,000 in official revenue. But bawali Ziaur Rahman from Islampur village in Koyra upazila said, this year, forest officials took Tk. 40,000. Last year it was Tk. 22,000. Coordinators took Tk. 2,200 per boat, and we also had to pay journalists separately. Three dacoit groups charged Tk. 30,000. Because of all these bribes, many are considering leaving the business."

President of the Bawali Federation, Mir Kamruzzaman, said that this year’s bribery situation has worsened.
"Previously, paying the forest officers was enough. Now we are overwhelmed by illegal demands from bandits and coordinators. If this continues, no one will want to enter the forest in the future."

Ismail Hossain, the Golpata coupe officer of Khulna Range, denied the allegations.
"No money was collected on behalf of coordinators or journalists through me. We did not accept any extra money. I have no demands from the bawalis. If they give, fine. If not, that’s also fine."

Sadar Uddin Ahmed, President of Koyra Press Club near the Sundarbans, admitted that a group of so-called ‘fake’ journalists have long been extorting money using the journalist identity, damaging the reputation of genuine media professionals.
"Not just Golpata boats, but some individuals are involved in illegal Sundarbans trade using journalist identities. Some even receive monthly payments from forest stations. We've asked the authorities to take action against them."

Harun-or-Rashid, President of the Sundarbans Protection Movement, said, some people falsely claim that not harvesting Golpata damages the forest. That’s not true. Golpata grows naturally and not harvesting it doesn’t harm the forest. In fact, new clusters grow on their own. The real damage is being done under the guise of Golpata collection. Unscrupulous forest officials are evading government revenue and making lakhs of taka while endangering the forest and the bawal