The Sundarbans is the largest littoral mangrove belt in the world, stretching 80 km into the hinterland from the coast. The forests aren’t just mangrove swamps, they include some of the last remaining stands of the mighty jungles which once covered the Genetic plain.
Sundarban
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The Sundarbans cover an area of nearly 3600
sq km in Bangladesh and another 2400 sq km in India.six ‘ranges’ make up the
region. At partition, Bashirhat and Namkhola, Hulna and Satkhira went to
Bangladesh. About one-third of the total area of this forest is covered in
water-basically by river chanels, canals and tidal creeks varying in width from
a few metres to five km in some places. Even the land area is subject to tidal
inundation during spring tides. The Sundarbans are bound by the Bhaleswari
River in the east, the Bay of Bengal to the south, Khulna Division to the
north, and the Raimangal and Haringhata rivers to the west. At one time the
mangrove forest extend even further. The impenetrable forest of the Sundarbans
begin about five km south-west of Mongla, along the Pusur River. For about 60
km to the south there are no permanent settlements within the forest apart from
a few government workforce camps housing the labour force for extraction of
timber. These camps are all either built on stilts or ‘hang’ from the trees
because of the soft ground and the two meters tides that course through the
coastal areas. The ground is all bog, down to a depth of about three metres.
The workforce numbers about three meters. The workforce number about 20,000,
although that number more than doubles during April and May. The ecological balance is extremely delicate
and is influenced greatly by tidal shifts which affect the salinity, and hence
the growth rates in the surrounding vegetation. Deer, pigs and even crabs are
predators of young trees, and cyclone wreaks havoc. The first historical record of any society
inhabiting the region is from the 13th century, when many
Hindus, fleeing the Muslim advance, sought refuge among the forests. They
settled here, building a number of temples. They were later joined by the
Khiljis who were fleeing the Afghans. There are no other signs of early
civilizations. In the 17th century the Portuguese-Mogh pirates
probably caused the population to leave the area, although the lack of fresh
drinking water and the unhealthy climate must have been the other contributing
factors. Since 2966 the Sundarbans has been a wildlife
sanctuary. The government recently set aside three specific areas as tiger
reserves. Besides its wildlife, the Sundarbans has great economic potential.
The Divisional Forestry Office keeps a close watch on the region and supervises
activates to protect the delicate ecological balance. Hunting is prohibited.Life in the Sundarbans From November to mid-February thousands of
fishermen from Chittagong converge on the island of Dhubla, on the mouth of the
kung or Masjat River, a Sundarbans estuary, they come with about 40 trawlers,
each with 30 to 40 small boats in tow. During this period fishing is carried on
ceaselessly, day and night, they reap the rich harvest of the schooling shrimps
who come here to breed, but also catch fish and sharks. During the same period, thousands of low
caste Hindus from Khulna, Barisal and Patuakhali come to the island for a three
day festival. They set up statues of deities in makeshift temples, bathe in the
Ganges and release or sacrifice goats. During the mela (fair) , sweetmeats,
dried fruits. Toys, hookahs, wooden clogs and religious paraphernalia are sold
in the market. A few weeks after their departure, the market a few weeks after
their departure, the fishermen also head back to Chittagong, and for the next
nine months the island is deserted. Fishing families who live like sea gypsies
can also be seen in the Sundarbans. They have large boats with thatched roofs
and cabins, and they catch fish using trained otters. Nets are placed at the
mouths of streams or creeks, and the otters are released upstream and chase the
fish down into the nets. Woodcutters also work in the Sundarbans during much of
the year. They build temporary dwellings on the edge of the forest to a height
of three metres or so for Proteciion from tigers; others live in boats. Besides producing fish in great quantities,
the region produces the Sundari tree, which is in demand for shipbuilding,
railway sleepers, light poles etc. Other forest products include honey, gol
leaves (from a local shade tree of that name ), reeds and snails for lime. The
people who gather homey, known as manuals, occasionally constitute a part of
the diet of the royal Bengal tiger. The unfortunate maualis are a particular
favorite of the tigers because they`re always looking up at the trees. There are many other animals in the forest,
including the beautiful spotted deer. Bot aurprisingly, bird life matches the
lushness of the jungle in its variety and numbers. THE SUNDARI TREEThe region derives its name from the Sundari
trees that grow here to about 25m in height. These trees are very straight,
have tiny branches and keep well in water – they become rock hard when
submerged for a long time and are thus very suitable for building. Sundaris are
felled mainly for shipbuilding, electric poles, railway sleepers and house
construction. Its wood has a purple luster and accounts for about 75%of total
wood extractions. The gema wood, also felid in the Sundarbans, is mainly pulped
for the Khulna newsprint factory. Timber workers here are called bawalis. ROYAL BENGAL TIGERS
Royal Bengal
Tiger
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The royal Bengal tiger is the pride of
Bangladesh. It was aptly named by the British as has been known to grow to a
body le3ngth of more than two metres, has extraordinary strength and agility,
and is considered to be the most majestic of tigers. It has a life span of 16
years and preys on deer, boars and fish stranded on riverbeds at low tide. It
is only in old age, when it has lost its physical agility and its canine fangs,
that it sometimes preys on workers in the area. They
are thought to be roughly 400tigers remaining in the Sundarbans, but your
chances of seeing one are extremely remote. Every year there are reports of
people in the area getting eaten by tigers, so the locals are terribly afraid
of them and with good reason. 1994. For example, a Dhaka newspaper reported
that more than 10 people had been killed by human-eating tigers over the past
year. Although they may not admit it, most guides, despite carrying rifles, are
terrified of the tigers. Consequently, they’ll make considerable noise during
excursions, scaring them off and virtually ensuring that you won’t encounter
one. Nevertheless, there are just enough sightings to encourage visitors that
they might be lucky. One group reported seeing a tiger swim right by their
boat. Try to remember that it is the pristine environment rather than the
wildlife that is the attraction of the area.