Using technologies suited to local conditions and properly maintaining existing water sources are essential to addressing the coastal drinking water crisis. At the same time, coordination among government agencies responsible for protecting the Sundarbans needs to be strengthened, with clear responsibilities for forest management.
These views emerged at a discussion titled “The Coastal Water Crisis and the Sundarbans Ecosystem”, organised by Prothom Alo at the conference hall of Friendship’s regional office in Mongla upazila on Sunday morning.
University teachers, local residents, researchers, government officials, environment activists, teachers and students, forest-dependent communities, development workers and people from various professions attended the event.
Speakers said the coastal water crisis and the ecological challenges facing the Sundarbans were interconnected and required coordinated efforts to address them.
The discussion began with a video presentation on the water crisis and the Sundarbans by Partha Shankar Saha, assistant news editor at Prothom Alo. Khalilullah, climate project manager at Prothom Alo, moderated the session.
Who is responsible for protecting the Sundarbans?
Professor Anwarul Kadir, chairperson of the Sundarbans Academy, said groundwater conditions varied across the southwestern region. Some areas had high salinity, while others faced problems with iron or other elements in the water. Therefore, rather than applying the same technology throughout the country, solutions suited to the region’s specific conditions should be selected.
He said another important question was who was responsible for protecting the Sundarbans and which agency served as its principal guardian.
Oil spills, waste dumping, noise and artificial light from vessels travelling through the forest adversely affected wildlife and vegetation, he said. To address these risks, the responsibilities of the relevant agencies needed to be clearly defined and effective coordination established. He also suggested that the Sundarbans should have a dedicated ministry.
Professor Md Kamruzzaman of the Forestry and Wood Technology discipline at Khulna University said the lack of safe drinking water was one of the biggest problems facing people along the southwestern coast. Residents had been struggling to secure water for a long time.
Governments and development partners had undertaken various initiatives, including treating pond water and storing rainwater. However, many of these facilities were not properly maintained and eventually became unusable.
“Building infrastructure alone is not enough. Arrangements must also be made to keep it functional for a long time,” he said.
He added that ensuring water availability was not sufficient; its safety was equally important. Local communities needed to raise their demands collectively so that the government and development partners would be compelled to take effective action.
Alternative livelihoods were often proposed to reduce people's dependence on the Sundarbans, he said. However, these alternatives must not create additional pressure on the local environment and natural resources.
On tourism and resource management in the forest, Kamruzzaman said declaring an area a protected forest did not automatically guarantee its conservation. Tourism and other economic activities should not be expanded without considering the Sundarbans' carrying capacity.
Ensuring people's right to safe drinking water is essential
Prothom Alo Editor Matiur Rahman said the newspaper sought to highlight civil rights, economic and social development, the problems faced by people from different walks of life, and the protection of the country''s nature, environment, rivers and forests. The Sundarbans was a particularly important focus of these efforts.
He described the Sundarbans as a source of national pride, saying it was not merely a forest but also an important part of the coastal population''s protection.
“After Cyclone Sidr in 2007, many trees in the Sundarbans were damaged. There was talk of an initiative to clear them away. We organised a discussion on the issue, and experts said that protecting the Sundarbans required preserving its natural environment and avoiding unnecessary intervention. We used the headline, ‘Do not disturb the Sundarbans’. The government later abandoned the plan,” he said.
Matiur Rahman noted that the Sundarbans had provided significant protection to coastal communities during Cyclones Sidr and Aila.
“We do not want the Sundarbans to be destroyed. Its biodiversity must be protected, and the forest must survive with its natural characteristics intact,” he said.
Expressing concern over the shortage of safe drinking water along the coast, he said arsenic and lead had also been detected in water sources. People collected and stored rainwater for drinking, but finding contaminants in that water after testing was a matter of serious concern.
“Ensuring people's right to safe drinking water is essential,” he said.
“We have come here to learn more about the Sundarbans, listen to you and discuss how the forest can be protected. The experiences and opinions of local residents, researchers, teachers, students, social workers, forest department officials and everyone else concerned are important to us,” he added.
Local participation needed to protect the Sundarbans
Imran Ahmed, conservator of forests for the Khulna region of the Forest Department, said the coastal drinking water crisis and the Sundarbans ecosystem were closely linked.
Women in coastal areas often had to travel long distances to collect water, he said. Even the water they brought home after considerable effort was not always safe. They also faced physical health problems and sanitation-related difficulties while collecting water.
Protecting forests was difficult in a densely populated country like Bangladesh, he said. Although the Forest Department was responsible for protecting the Sundarbans, it could not fulfil that responsibility effectively without local participation.
Local residents could help identify people using poison to catch fish or hunting wildlife near the forest. If they protested against such activities and shared information with the Forest Department, preventing forest-related crimes would become easier, he added.
Imran Ahmed said the department had increased the use of drones and intelligence operations to detect forest crimes. However, it lacked sufficient boats to reach incident sites quickly. A plan to purchase 10 boats last year had not materialised.
The department had also changed its patrolling methods. While patrols were previously conducted by boat in many areas, greater emphasis was now being placed on patrolling on foot. This had increased opportunities to find and recover traps set to catch deer, he said.
AZM Hasanur Rahman, divisional forest officer of the Sundarbans West Forest Division, said packaging from chips, biscuits and other products consumed aboard vessels and launches was a major source of plastic waste in the forest.
Such waste was generated by vessels operating on routes from Khulna towards Koyra and Mongla. The Forest Department had discussed the issue with the relevant stakeholders and taken initiatives to raise awareness, he said.
Md Rezaul Karim Chowdhury, divisional forest officer of the Sundarbans East Forest Division, said increasing salinity in the Sundarbans could affect not only vegetation but also aquatic animals.
Irrawaddy dolphins could live in relatively saline waters, while Ganges river dolphins preferred freshwater environments. Rising salinity could therefore alter the habitats and distribution of these species, he said.
Mohammad Nehal Azmat Mohi, project coordinator at WaterAid Bangladesh, said the coastal shortage of safe drinking water, sanitation problems and hygiene challenges were interconnected.
Installing safe water technologies did not mark the end of the responsibility, he said. Regular maintenance and repairs when necessary were essential to keep these systems functional.
Others who spoke at the meeting included Arthita Howlader, assistant commissioner (land) of Mongla upazila; Md Refatul Islam, assistant superintendent of police at the Mongla Circle office; Dr Md Shaheen, upazila health and family planning officer; Md Zahidul Islam, senior upazila fisheries officer; and Piyush Roy, upazila agriculture officer.
Open discussion
During the open discussion, participants shared their views on the Sundarbans and the water crisis, along with possible solutions.
Kamala Sarkar, a woman who depends on the forest for her livelihood and lives in South Kainmari village of Chandpai union in Mongla upazila, said the water crisis extended beyond drinking water.
“Our water crisis is not limited to drinking water. We also face shortages for cooking, bathing and even providing water for livestock and birds. Women suffer from various physical problems while fishing in saline river water. Many of them cannot even afford medical treatment,” she said.
The discussion concluded with a song about the Sundarbans performed by members of Antor Bajao, an organisation founded by poet Rudra Muhammad Shahidullah.