CM Kajawl :Spilled oil in the Shela river is still a threat to the environment and ecology of the Sundarbans even after more than two and a half months of the incident. It would take several years to wipe out its effects from the biodiversity and ecology in the Sundarbans, the largest mangrove in the world, experts said. About 375 species of wild animals and aquatic life, and 165 species of trees are still in great danger due to the oil spill, they said.The oil tanker OT Southern Star-7 carrying 357,668 litres of furnace oil sank in the river ‘Shela’ after being hit by a cargo vessel on December 9 last year. The joint UN-Bangladesh impact assessment team on the Sundarbans oil spill also mentioned in its report that the incident could leave a long-term detrimental effect on the wildlife and ecology. The team has submitted its report to the Ministry of Environment and Forest recently. The incident of oil spill still causes harm to the wildlife and aquatic species in the Sundarbans, Professor Dr Abdullah Harun Chowdhury of Khulna University told The New Nation on Friday. Chowdhury, who also carried out a short study after the incident in December, said a large quantity of oil has mixed up with the soil and causing harm to the water, soil, flora and fauna of the forest. “We have observed that it would create problem for the crocodiles to lay egg in the coming season and have a bad impact on the growth of its population,” he said. He added: “Naturally, crocodiles lay egg in the months of April and May but there is no possibility to flush out the oil from the area before the next rainy season in July and August.” Not only that, it would also cause problem to the different species in the area like crab, snail, dolphin, fishes and different kinds of birds, Chowdhury said. Regarding the disastrous effect of oil spill, he said it cannot be recovered completely but the government should take some steps so that such incident cannot take place in future. “The authorities should immediately stop the movement of water vessels carrying oil, coal or fly ash through the Sundarban rivers,” he said. Talking to this reporter, Chowdhury also said, “The guideline of different international organizations like UNESCO should be applied to protect the Sundarbans. We have to reach a unanimity to stop all anti-environmental activities and preserve that ecologically vulnerable area.” Dr MA Matin, General Secretary of Bangladesh Poribesh Andolan, demanded a ‘Code of Conduct’ for the use of the Sundarbans. “It is the place of different endangered species. It is our pride. We have to follow some rules and relevant international laws to protect it,” he said. With regard to the damage, he said, “Several hundred of birds, fishes and other aquatic life will perish if they come into contact with the oil slick. The sanctuary for the Irrawady dolphins, a rare species, will seriously be harmed by the oil slick.”Abu Naser Khan, Chairman of Poribesh Bachao Andalan, said the government should take extensive programmes to save the Sundarbans from the long-term effects of the oil spill incident. “Or else, the forest which safeguards our coastal areas from different natural disasters will disappear in future.” He urged the government to shut down the plying of all kinds of water vessels inside the Sundarbans along with the other installations like the coal-based power plant in Rampal.The Sundarbans, a UNESCO-listed World Heritage Site, comprises the world’s largest unbroken mangrove forest, covering about 10,000 sq km across Bangladesh and India.It is also the home to globally endangered species such as the rare Irrawady dolphins, the Royal Bengal tiger (Bangladesh’s national animal), the endemic river terrapin, the olive ridley turtle, the saltwater crocodile and the horseshoe crab.
