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Sundarban set to reopen to tourists soon

Published : Wednesday, 28 October, 2020 at 12:00 AM  Count : 232

KHULNA, Oct 27: After seven months of closure due to the Coronavirus pandemic, the Forest Department is expected to reopen the Sundarban, the world's largest mangrove forest and a Unesco World Heritage Site, soon to tourists.
Tourists are expected to be allowed to enter the Sundarban tourist spots from early November, authorities said.
Meanwhile, tour operators have already completed preparations after receiving the green signal. Many of them have already started pre-booking spots for their Sundarban tours.
According to sources in the Sundarban Forest Department, a meeting of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Forests and Environment on October 19 discussed ways for reopening the Sundarban for tourists.
The meeting decided to reopen the Sundarban ahead of the upcoming tourist season.
Instructions are likely to come to reopen the entrances to the Sundarban for tourists in the next couple of days, the sources said.
Earlier, on March 19, the Forest Department announced a temporary restriction on tourist movement and boat plying the entire Sundarban to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
It directed that the ban be maintained across the eastern and western Sundarban until further notice.
During the tourist season (November to March), according to the Forest Department, over 45,000 tourists visit nine tourist areas in the Sundarban every day.
Md Moinul Islam Jamaddar, president of the Tour Operators' Association of the Sundarban, said bookings for Sundarban tours have already started ahead of the tourist season.
However, for travel, health rules must be maintained, said the officials adding that the number of tourists in ships will be minimised.
Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) of the Sundarban (West) Division Md Abu Naser said, "We've not yet received any instruction in this regard. However, the issue was discussed at a meeting of the parliamentary standing committee held on October 19. It'll be known within the next couple of days.
Deputy Minister of Forest and Environment Begum Habibun Nahar said the issue of reopening Sunadrban was discussed at the Parliamentary Standing Committee meeting.
"The Forest Department has also been informed verbally. In a day or two, the department will issue a notification to allow tourists in the Sundarban. Tour operators have also been asked to take preparations," she said.
However, tour operators and tourists must abide by all the rules of hygiene and they must not carry more than 50 people in a ship and maintain physical and social distance, she added.   -UNB







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