Sundarbans Reopens to Tourists after 7 Months

The Sundarbans, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, reopened its doors to visitors on Sunday after a seven-month closure due to the ongoing pandemic, UNB reports.

On the first day of re-opening, 700-800 tourists entered the world's largest mangrove forest on 16-17 ships, tour operators said.

With this, the Sundarbans-based tourism industry has come back to life.

Earlier, a meeting of the Parliamentary Standing Committee of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change was held on 19 October on the reopening, sources told Sundarbans Forest Department.

The members of the meeting decided to reopen the Sundarbans from 1 November to the next tourist season.  

On 19 March, in order to curb the spread of Covid-19, the Forest Department declared a temporary restriction on the movement of tourists and boats in the Sundarbans.

The ban was maintained in the eastern and western Sundarbans until further notice.

However, during peak time for Sundarbans tourism-from November to March each year-45,000 plus tourists visit nine areas of the mangrove forest.

And the sudden ban on visiting the forest caused trouble for the visitors staying in the tourist centers inside it.  

Also, the ban threw the tour operators and traders into a financial crisis. So, they carried out different programmes demanding the reopening of the Sundarbans.

Nazmul Azam David, managing director of Rupantar Eco-Tourism Limited, said the tourism sector of the Sundarbans lost about Tk20 crore in the last seven months.

Masum Babu, a tourist visiting the Sundarbans, said, "It feels wonderful to be here after a long time. The forest has changed a lot because no tourist has been able to visit it in the last seven months."

Md Moinul Islam Jamaddar, president of the Sundarbans Tour Operators' Association, said that the health rules are being maintained for 700-800 tourists entering the eastern and western Sundarbans on Sunday.

East Sundarbans Divisional Forest Officer Mohammad Belayet Hossain said the tourists must wear masks before entering the forest. "The Forest Department has also taken strong actions to ensure social distancing and the use of hand sanitizer."

West Sundarbans Divisional Forest Officer Abu Naser Mohsin said although the Sundarbans was reopened for visitors on Sunday, no ship is being allowed to carry more than 50 tourists.

Mohammad Moinuddin Khan, forest conservator of Khulna region, said tourists are being allowed to enter the Sundarbans only after following health rules. "And legal action will be taken against the tour operators or tourists for violating the rules."