While environmentalists and experts pointed out the adverse effect of oil spillage in the Sundarbans, Shipping Minister Shahjahan Khan on Saturday played down the impact, saying the spill would not harm the Sundarbans.   

In a stark contrast to the reality reported out by different print and electronic media, the minister said no major impact was seen in the Sundarbans since oil tanker Southern Star-7, which was carrying furnace oil, capsized on Tuesday.

He also denied the fact that many animals were dying in the aftermath of the spill.

A video posted on Facebook by AKM Wahiduzzaman shows the grave nature of the spill.

In his post with the video, Wahiduzzaman writes: “Furnace oil floating on the Shela river in the largest Mangrove forest in the world, the Sundarbans. The carcass of dead marine animals are floating around. The furnace oil from the spill from a vessel suited for sand carriage only, violating environmental law, has brought about the biggest disaster on the Sundarbans.”

He called for spreading the video and raising awareness so that the Sundarbans, the world’s regarding largest mangrove forest, could be saved.