Sundarbans is opening for tourists after five months of closure
Sundarbans is opening for tourists after five months of closure
Sundarbans are being opened for tourists from September 1 after being closed for almost five months. Eastern Sundarbans Divisional Forest Officer Mohammad Belayet Hossain confirmed this information on Monday morning.
Belayet Hossain said, ‘Conditionally, Sundarbans is being opened for visitors from September 1. Social distancing, hygiene, masks are to be worn during travel and groups of maximum 25 people are allowed to disembark and tour the forest. No more people can descend and roam in the forest at the same time. The forest department will take immediate action against those who violate these conditions.
Due to the closure of tourist access to Sundarbans since April 3, the forest department has been deprived of revenue collection of about 20 lakh rupees for four months and 27 days till August 30. Sundarbans will open after just one day, so the officials and employees are busy in the renovation and cleaning of various tourist spots. This is because various structures including foot trailers and watchtowers have not been used for a long time and have accumulated dirt and broken down.
Howladar Azad Kabir, in-charge of Karamjal Tourism and Wildlife Breeding Centre, said, ‘DFO (Divisional Forest Officer Mohammad Belayet Hossain) sir has said that the Sundarbans will be opened for tourists from September 1. So he asked to complete all the preparations. We are working to fix the problem in our Karamjal. As soon as the tourists arrive, we will be able to provide adequate services to them.’
Meanwhile, tour operators have also started preparing. They are washing the boats and redressing the crew. The owner of the tourism businessman The Southern Tours. Mizanur Rahman said, ‘Since the Sundarbans are closed due to Corona, the people associated with this business have been living an inhumane life for a long time. Apart from opening now, we will operate the tour by following the conditions that have been given, Insha’Allah.
Mainly due to the outbreak of Corona, a ban on the entry of tourists to the Sundarbans was issued from April 3 to prevent the spread of infection. The Sundarbans are being opened after about five months as the situation has improved somewhat.
