Firefighters have successfully brought 95% of the Sundarbans fire under control by Monday afternoon, after flames broke out in the Shapla Beel area on Sunday.
While most of the fire has been contained, smoke and small flames are still visible at the base of several trees, according to Sakria Haider, Deputy Assistant Director of Bagerhat Fire Station. Efforts to completely douse the fire began around 1 pm on Monday, using water from the Bhola River, though a previous shortage of water had slowed progress. Authorities expect the fire to be fully extinguished by Monday night.
Over five acres of forest land have been destroyed so far. A total of 41 firefighters from eight units worked overnight, while 35 more firefighters from six units joined the operation on Monday morning. Local residents also pitched in alongside the Forest Department.
Md Abu Bakar Zaman, Assistant Director of Khulna Fire Service and Civil Defence, said the lack of nearby water sources made firefighting difficult. "We had to rely on tidal water from the Bhola River to contain the flames," he added.
A three-member probe committee has been formed to investigate the cause of the fire and assess the damage to biodiversity, confirmed Kazi Muhammad Nurul Karim, Divisional Forest Officer of the Sundarbans East Zone.
Additionally, Md Amir Hossain Chowdhury, Chief Conservator of the Forest Department, stated that the government is planning to excavate ponds and dredge nearby rivers to create permanent water sources within the Sundarbans. Lowering the riverbanks will also help tidal water flow more easily into the forest, benefiting both firefighting efforts and wildlife conservation.
Authorities are also probing whether sabotage was involved, as multiple fires erupted across a 7-kilometer span within a single day. Another investigative committee will be formed on Tuesday to further analyze the fire’s origin, its impact on biodiversity, and necessary preventive measures.
The first fire was detected Saturday morning in Tepar Beel, Sarankhola upazila, where dry leaves helped the flames spread rapidly. Another blaze was spotted in the Shapla Beel area around 11:30 am on Sunday, prompting emergency response teams to rush to the scene.
