Threat To Ratargul Swamp Forest!!

There will be NO Ratargul Swamp Forest within 5 years!!

Sumit Chowdhury, Sylhet

If the present situation of Ratargul Swamp Forest continues, then it will vanish from the Map of Bangladesh within 5 years. The layers of “Hizol” and “Khoroch” are on the way of extinct. Wildlife are also in danger.

Tourists have a full access to the all parts of the forest easily, they play sounds in mikes in high volume inside the forest, they throw packets, bottles, papers in the water which pollutes the water and is a barrier to the living of many rare fishes. The animals and the rare plant species of the forest are minimizing day by day. There is a 5 storied watch tower inside the forest, here many tourist come everyday. The local people said, it has been a great tourist attraction and it is a threat for the forest conversation. Moreover, the watch tower is very risky, the infrastructure is not very strong. It could collapse at any time. If it happens there will be a great harm to the the human lives and the ecosystem as well.

Everyday a huge number of people come to visit

The environmentalists say that, the initiative of forest department to make the plantation of “jalibeth” will lead to the immense destruction of the forest. The illegal encroachment of the forest have minimized its area. In 1973 the area was 504 acres, but now the area is 325.6 acres. And the rate is still lowering. If this scenario continues, we will lost our Ratargul Swamp Forest within a few years. So as this is our national property so its our duty to protect this forest.

Though it is a reserved forest but the forest department is lacking some proper planning for the reservation of this swamp forest. They are not doing their jobs properly. Ecosystem has been disturbed. A new plan has been made to construct a rest house inside the forest which will be a huge threat to this swamp forest. Seems like steps taken for the reservation are converted to the destruction of the forest later.

People gathering to enter in watch tower

So I have tried to pointed out some initiative to protect the Ratagul Sawmp forest from being extinct:

· A proper plan should be taken into account to protect the forest.

· Government as well as many NGO’s or organizations should come forward to protect the forest.

· All the parts of the forest should not be accessible.

· There should be a strict rules for the tourist who wants to visit the forest.

· Tourist visiting hours should be from 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm

· To shout or play song in high volume inside the forest should be banned.

· Illegal encroachments should be stopped from the forest.

· Fishing inside the forest should be banned.

· The watch tower should be closed for good.

· People of all classes and sectors should engaged in the conversation activities.

There is only four swamp forest is the south asia. Ratargul is one of them. So it’s a matter of pride for us. Its our duty to save Ratargul Swamp Forest. People from all sector should come forward to make the reservation of the forest successful.