Operation to douse Sundarbans fire to be started Sunday morning

The fire service will start the operation to douse the fire that broke out in the Amurbunia area at Chandpai range of the Sundarbans East Zone on Saturday afternoon. 

Two units of Mongla and Morelganj fire services reached the spot in the evening but they could not start their operation as the sun had set by the time they arrived.

Fire Service and Civil Defense Mongla Station Officer Mohammad Kaymuzzaman said: “As it was evening, we had to return without commencing operations. However, we will enter the forest on Sunday morning to extinguish the fire.”

“The distance of water from where the fire broke out is approximately 2km, which has hindered the initiation of fire extinguishing efforts.”

He said that the abundance of dry leaves in the forest increases the possibility of the fire spreading with the wind. Monitoring is in place to prevent the fire from spreading. Before sunset, locals and officials removed dry trees from several spots and cut small fire lines at various locations as a preventive measure.

Fire has already spread in the forest. The severity of fires in dry forests is increasing.  “As there is no water nearby, it would not be easy to bring the fire under control.” 

They alleged that some unscrupulous people often enter the forest illegally to extract honey. They collect honey from the beehive by burning torches. They believe that fire could start from the fire of their burning torches.

The fire broke out in the Amarbunia area of Chandpai range in the eastern region of the Sundarbans under Bagerhat on Saturday afternoon.

DFO Nurul Karim also said an investigation committee will be formed to find out the exact cause of the fire.

However, he could not give details about the cause and the extent of the fire.