Save Sonadia Island’s mangrove forests

We are concerned about the relentless forest grabbing in Sonadia Island. During the AL regime, individuals connected to the government razed vast acres of forest on the island, and alarmingly, the destruction has continued even after the regime's fall. Since August 5, over 1,000 acres of protected mangrove forest have been reportedly cleared for shrimp and crab farming. This came to light after grabbers recently set fire to piles of felled trees to destroy evidence of their activities.

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We must save forests for our own sake

Over the years, Sonadia's encroachers have cleared more than 3,000 acres of mangrove forest to establish shrimp enclosures. With the latest 1,000 acres encroached, the total now stands at 4,000. We wonder why the concerned authorities are unable to stop these illegal activities. In October last year, the High Court ordered relevant officials to remove illegal shrimp projects, take legal action against those destroying the mangroves, and submit a compliance report within 90 days. On November 28, the Supreme Court upheld this order, directing the government to stop mangrove destruction immediately. Yet forest grabbing, along with shrimp and crab farming, continues in this ecologically critical area. This is deeply unfortunate.

Last July, the Department of Environment (DoE) filed a case against 26 individuals, mostly linked to the AL, for seizing 128 acres of forest land in Sonadia, temporarily halting their action. But they soon resumed it in the absence of administrative follow-ups and legal consequences. Again, on May 18 this year, the DoE filed a case against 20 individuals, including a local BNP leader this time. This shows how the encroachment business has continued to enjoy political support regardless of the political transition, for which BNP and other parties must answer.

While the relevant officials have sometimes taken actions, those have been mostly ineffective. For instance, last July, the Department of Environment (DoE) filed a case against 26 individuals, mostly linked to the AL, for seizing 128 acres of forest land, temporarily halting their action. But they soon resumed it in the absence of administrative follow-ups and legal consequences. Again, on May 18 this year, the DoE filed a case against 20 individuals, including a local BNP leader this time. This shows how the encroachment business has continued to enjoy political support regardless of the political transition, for which BNP and other parties must answer.

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How long before the environmental pledges are honoured?

We urge the authorities to make lawsuits against forest grabbers effective by ensuring swift case disposal and strict punishment. While the Sonadia administration has reportedly conducted some drives to stop the grabbers, these were insufficient. Such efforts must be increased. Moreover, the DoE must assess the actual scale of forest loss as the figures mentioned in official cases reportedly fall far short of reality. While the interim government's cancellation of land allocated to the Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (BEZA) for establishing an eco-tourism park on the island is reassuring, it must now take comprehensive actions to stop the culture of forest grabbing.