Bagerhat Correspondent :
Sundarbans, the world heritage and the biggest mangrove forest of the world is gradually losing its tourist. Previously innumerable tourists of both home and abroad used to visit Sundarban forest every year, particularly in the winter season but the recent picture is quite different. The number of tourists has fallen short during the recent years. As a result, tourism industry that developed in Khulna region based on Sundargban forest has been threatened and those who invested money in this industry are incurring losses.
According to the statistics of last 5 years given by the both Eastern and Western Divisions of Sundarban forest, some 2 lakh 27 thousand 38 tourists of both home and abroad visited the forest in the fiscal year of 2011-12. But in the fiscal year of 2014-15 the number of tourists dropped to 1 lakh 55 thousand. In the fiscal year of 2012-13 one lakh 55 thousand 317 tourists visited Sundarban forest. In the fiscal year of 2013-14 the number of tourists reduced to below 50 per cent. In the year of 2013-14 the number of tourists reduced to 1 lakh 540. The number of tourists of both home and abroad was almost equally reduced.
According to the statistics of the Forest Department, the number of foreign tourists was 4 thousand 16 in the fiscal year of 2011-12. In some later years the number of foreign tourists was more or less equal. But the number of foreign tourists was rapidly reduced recently. In the financial year of 2012-13 the number of foreign tourists increased to some extent and in that year the number of foreign tourists was 4 thousand 370. But in the financial year of 2013-14 the number of foreign tourists reduced to 2 thousand 662 while in the year 2014-15 the number of foreign visitor increased to 3 thousand 868. But it is found in the statistics of the forest department that during the last11 months of current financial year (from January, 2016 to November 15, 2016) the number of foreign tourists visited Sundarban forest was only 1 (one) thousand 610.
The reasons behind the short fall of foreign tourists may be the political unrest and killing of some foreigners in the country recently by the militants, it is guessed by some ones involved in tourism profession.
Sundarban Forest Department sources said, tourists are to enter the forest after depositing the fixed entry fees and in some cases they are to procure written permission from the concerned authorities to enter into the forest.
Native tourists are to pay a sum of Tk 150.00 per head to enter the sanctuary of the forest while the foreign tourists are to pay a sum of Tk 1, 500.00 per head to go to the sanctuary of the forest. A water vessel, measuring below 100 feet in length and a vessel, measuring more than 100 feet in length are to pay a sum of Tk.3 thousand and Tk.4 thousand respectively for staying in the forest for a single day.
Three tour operators of the region who usually manage the tourists to go to Sundarban forest also admitted the short fall of the tourists in the recent times. According to them, the present period of the season (November to January) is the high time for visiting Sundarban forest. But there is a dearth of foreign tourists. Khokon Alam, Manager . Royal Bengal Tourism told the newsmen, the number of native tourists has also fallen short in the current season. He added, no foreign tourist was found in the month of Nvember. Azam Khan, a high official of Bengal Tours told the newsmen, after the killing of some foreigners in Holy Artisan incident our 24 group tours were cancelled. He added, in the last year the number of tourists was not unsatisfactory in the midst of political unrest. But in this year the picture is quite different. But this year the number of tourists is abnormally scanty.
Md. Alam, Assistant President of Sundarban Tours Association of Bangladesh told that not only the political unrest was responsible for that but also lacking of publicity was responsible for the short fall of tourists in Sundarban forest. He added, the foreign tourists are now willing to visit Sundarban forest of the West Bengal in India and we should be conscious about the matter and take necessary steps to keep the tourists.
Sayeed Ali Khan, DFO , Western Division of Sundarban disclosed to the newsmen, some restrictions were adopted recently for the easy entrance of the visitors to the forest in order to increase the number of Royal Bengal tigers in the forest. As a result, the number of tourists may be fallen short. He added, new projects are coming in future and then publicity and advertisements will be widely done to attract the tourists of both home and abroad.
Sundarbans, the world heritage and the biggest mangrove forest of the world is gradually losing its tourist. Previously innumerable tourists of both home and abroad used to visit Sundarban forest every year, particularly in the winter season but the recent picture is quite different. The number of tourists has fallen short during the recent years. As a result, tourism industry that developed in Khulna region based on Sundargban forest has been threatened and those who invested money in this industry are incurring losses.
According to the statistics of last 5 years given by the both Eastern and Western Divisions of Sundarban forest, some 2 lakh 27 thousand 38 tourists of both home and abroad visited the forest in the fiscal year of 2011-12. But in the fiscal year of 2014-15 the number of tourists dropped to 1 lakh 55 thousand. In the fiscal year of 2012-13 one lakh 55 thousand 317 tourists visited Sundarban forest. In the fiscal year of 2013-14 the number of tourists reduced to below 50 per cent. In the year of 2013-14 the number of tourists reduced to 1 lakh 540. The number of tourists of both home and abroad was almost equally reduced.
According to the statistics of the Forest Department, the number of foreign tourists was 4 thousand 16 in the fiscal year of 2011-12. In some later years the number of foreign tourists was more or less equal. But the number of foreign tourists was rapidly reduced recently. In the financial year of 2012-13 the number of foreign tourists increased to some extent and in that year the number of foreign tourists was 4 thousand 370. But in the financial year of 2013-14 the number of foreign tourists reduced to 2 thousand 662 while in the year 2014-15 the number of foreign visitor increased to 3 thousand 868. But it is found in the statistics of the forest department that during the last11 months of current financial year (from January, 2016 to November 15, 2016) the number of foreign tourists visited Sundarban forest was only 1 (one) thousand 610.
The reasons behind the short fall of foreign tourists may be the political unrest and killing of some foreigners in the country recently by the militants, it is guessed by some ones involved in tourism profession.
Sundarban Forest Department sources said, tourists are to enter the forest after depositing the fixed entry fees and in some cases they are to procure written permission from the concerned authorities to enter into the forest.
Native tourists are to pay a sum of Tk 150.00 per head to enter the sanctuary of the forest while the foreign tourists are to pay a sum of Tk 1, 500.00 per head to go to the sanctuary of the forest. A water vessel, measuring below 100 feet in length and a vessel, measuring more than 100 feet in length are to pay a sum of Tk.3 thousand and Tk.4 thousand respectively for staying in the forest for a single day.
Three tour operators of the region who usually manage the tourists to go to Sundarban forest also admitted the short fall of the tourists in the recent times. According to them, the present period of the season (November to January) is the high time for visiting Sundarban forest. But there is a dearth of foreign tourists. Khokon Alam, Manager . Royal Bengal Tourism told the newsmen, the number of native tourists has also fallen short in the current season. He added, no foreign tourist was found in the month of Nvember. Azam Khan, a high official of Bengal Tours told the newsmen, after the killing of some foreigners in Holy Artisan incident our 24 group tours were cancelled. He added, in the last year the number of tourists was not unsatisfactory in the midst of political unrest. But in this year the picture is quite different. But this year the number of tourists is abnormally scanty.
Md. Alam, Assistant President of Sundarban Tours Association of Bangladesh told that not only the political unrest was responsible for that but also lacking of publicity was responsible for the short fall of tourists in Sundarban forest. He added, the foreign tourists are now willing to visit Sundarban forest of the West Bengal in India and we should be conscious about the matter and take necessary steps to keep the tourists.
Sayeed Ali Khan, DFO , Western Division of Sundarban disclosed to the newsmen, some restrictions were adopted recently for the easy entrance of the visitors to the forest in order to increase the number of Royal Bengal tigers in the forest. As a result, the number of tourists may be fallen short. He added, new projects are coming in future and then publicity and advertisements will be widely done to attract the tourists of both home and abroad.
