Efforts on to douse Sundarban fire

Concerning the origin of the fire in Sundarban, Kazi Muhammad Nurul Karim, Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) of Sundarban has acknowledged that the exact cause is still unknown.
 
"We are considering various reports from locals and have formed a three-member investigation committee led by Assistant Conservator of Forests Rana Dev to determine the cause," Karim told the reporters at the spot on Sunday, according to our local correspondents from Bagerhat and Khulna.

The authorities resumed the firefighting efforts on Sunday morning in the Sundarban East Zones Amurbunia area, with a coordinated effort of the Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, Forest Guard, and Fire Service.
"Air force has started spraying water by helicopter from 12:30 noon. Forest department, volunteers, Navy, Coast Guard, police, upazila administration, public representatives and local people have joined the fire service in the drive," Karim said.

He said the blaze has mostly come under control now.

Morrelganjs Upazila Nirbahi officer (UNO) SM Tareq said that measures have been taken so that fire does not spread to new areas. The fire service is spraying water from three sides. The BAF sprayed water to contain the fire by a helicopter on Sunday afternoon.

The fishermen spotted the fire in the mangrove forest on Saturday afternoon near Amurbunia area of the Chandpai range.

Fire service started its drive to extinguish the blaze this morning. Forest Department, local volunteers and two separate teams of Coast Guard and Navy joined the effort. The air force personnel visited the spot of fire in two helicopters in the morning.

Mamun Mahmud, deputy director of Khulna Fire Service and Civil Defence, told our Bagerhat correspondent that three fire engines started work to extinguish the fire.

The fire originated in Latifs Chila area near Amurbunia patrol post of the mangrove forest around 3:30pm on Saturday.