Sundarbans shields southwestern Bangladesh, again 
Skip to main content
  • Home
  • Economy
  • Stocks
  • Analysis
  • World+Biz
  • Sports
  • Features
  • Epaper
  • More
    • Subscribe
    • COVID-19
    • Bangladesh
    • Splash
    • Videos
    • Games
    • Long Read
    • Infograph
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Thoughts
    • Podcast
    • Quiz
    • Tech
    • Archive
    • Trial By Trivia
    • Magazine
    • Supplement
  • বাংলা
The Business Standard

Saturday
July 02, 2022

Sign In
Subscribe
  • Home
  • Economy
  • Stocks
  • Analysis
  • World+Biz
  • Sports
  • Features
  • Epaper
  • More
    • Subscribe
    • COVID-19
    • Bangladesh
    • Splash
    • Videos
    • Games
    • Long Read
    • Infograph
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Thoughts
    • Podcast
    • Quiz
    • Tech
    • Archive
    • Trial By Trivia
    • Magazine
    • Supplement
  • বাংলা
SATURDAY, JULY 02, 2022
Sundarbans shields southwestern Bangladesh, again 

Cyclone Amphan

Sadiqur Rahman
21 May, 2020, 11:00 pm
Last modified: 21 May, 2020, 11:50 pm

Related News

  • Ban on fishing, tourist entry in Sundarbans from Wednesday 
  • Bangladesh bans fishing in Sundarbans for 3 months
  • Tiger kills honey collector in Sundarbans
  • Sundarban tigers travelling to West Bengal in search of mates
  • Climate Change: Danish princess visits Sundarbans, interacts with affected people in Satkhira

Sundarbans shields southwestern Bangladesh, again 

The trail of devastation Cyclone Amphan left would have been much higher had the forest not been there

Sadiqur Rahman
21 May, 2020, 11:00 pm
Last modified: 21 May, 2020, 11:50 pm
Representtionale Image. Photo: Mumit M/TBS
Representtionale Image. Photo: Mumit M/TBS

Cyclone Amphan would have washed away the southwestern localities of Bangladesh with 10 to 15 feet high tidal surge on Wednesday.

But it was the 10,000 square-kilometer Sundarbans, nearly 32 times bigger than the Dhaka city, absorbed the force of the cyclone lessening its power to damage. 

Like a fort protecting a kingdom, Sundarbans last year braced the ferocious Bulbul and shielded thousands of people on the coasts. 

According to the Bangladesh Meteorological Department, cyclone Amphan passed heavily on the forest, particularly in the west part in Satkhira district, with gusts of 72 to 148 kmph speed and tidal surges up to nine feet. 

Forests department officials, however, could not provide with the damage assessment report on Thursday. 

Ishtiaq Uddin Ahmed, former chief conservator of forest, told The Business Standard, "Indeed, the Sundarbans has protected us again. Although it cannot be said that the forests diverted the cyclone, it had reduced its damaging power."

He said that damage assessment, particularly on the wildlife, would take time unless an inside investigation is done. 

"But, obviously the Sundarbans has saved the localities around the forests," he added.

On Thursday morning, the divisional forest officer Belayet Hossen said no dead wild animal was found at the forest's east division. The height of tides was calculated three feet at the eastern part of the forest. 

Dr Md Anwarul Islam, former professor of Dhaka University zoology department, said the projected time of the Amphan's landfall at evening could have triggered the tidal surges.

"The trees of the forest somehow prevented the tidal surge while, fortunately, the hundreds of canals and creeks crisscrossing the Sundarbans had absorbed the shocks," said Anwarul, also the chief executive of WildTeam. 

He added, "Without the forest, the people of adjourning areas would be badly affected."

According to several estimations, there are nearly 30 lakh people live in Sundarbans adjacent areas in Bangladesh part. 

With tidal surge a bit high of nine feet, Amphan inundated the Sundarbans' forest-bed in Satkhira district on Wednesday night.

Forest department's Khulna Circle conservator Moyeen Uddin Khan told the Business Standard that the cyclone damaged some of their infrastructures. Tin-sheds of the forest guard posts were blown away and some jetties were totally damaged.

He said that most of the Sundarbans' fresh water ponds were found submerged with saline water after the cyclone. 

"However, the cyclone did not damage much what we had speculated earlier. Because of low-height tidal surges, we expect minimal casualties to wild animals," he said. 

Environment / Top News

Sundarbans / southwestern Bangladesh

Comments

While most comments will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive, moderation decisions are subjective. Published comments are readers’ own views and The Business Standard does not endorse any of the readers’ comments.

Top Stories

  • Oil and gas account for about half of Russia’s exports.Source: Bloomberg
    The great European energy market bailout is only getting started
  • Photo: TBS
    Want more investment, welfare? Make NBR efficient
  • JPMorgan sees ‘stratospheric’ $380 oil on worst-case Russian cut
    JPMorgan sees ‘stratospheric’ $380 oil on worst-case Russian cut

MOST VIEWED

  • A devastated house in the coastal area after cyclone Amphan stikes. Photo: TBS
    30,000 Amphan-hit people still homeless 
  • Educo distributes aid among Amphan victims
    Educo distributes aid among Amphan victims
  • File photo. Photo: Collected/UNB
    Tk12,000 crore urgently needed for embankment repair
  • With roads and homesteads still under water, people in Satkhira, hit hard by the cyclonic storm Amphan, seem fated to suffer for many more days to come as there is hardly any initiative for their rehabilitation. The photo was taken recently. TBS Photo
    UN allocates $5 mn to support response to Cyclone Amphan
  • Photo: Rehman Asad
    People dependent on Sundarbans still reel from Amphan impact
  • A huge quantity of ‘Bagda’ shrimp die in many enclosures in different areas of the district a few months back due to drought and virus attack, leading to the fall in production/ UNB
    Corona, Amphan cause Tk1,710 crore loss in prawn business in Khulna

Related News

  • Ban on fishing, tourist entry in Sundarbans from Wednesday 
  • Bangladesh bans fishing in Sundarbans for 3 months
  • Tiger kills honey collector in Sundarbans
  • Sundarban tigers travelling to West Bengal in search of mates
  • Climate Change: Danish princess visits Sundarbans, interacts with affected people in Satkhira

Features

The eye-catching commuter: Suzuki Gixxer SF 155

The eye-catching commuter: Suzuki Gixxer SF 155

9h | Wheels
Photo: Collected

Sapiens – A Graphic History 

1d | Book Review
Black-naped Monarch male  Photo: Enam Ul Haque

Black-naped Monarch: A sovereign who never abandoned the Indian subcontinent

1d | Panorama
The 136-year-old company on its last legs

The 136-year-old company on its last legs

1d | Features

More Videos from TBS

Plight of poor cancer patients

Plight of poor cancer patients

2h | Videos
Dhaka University celebrating 102nd founding anniversary today

Dhaka University celebrating 102nd founding anniversary today

1d | Videos
Ctg Int'l Trade Fair returns after a 2-year hiatus without Covid restrictions

Ctg Int'l Trade Fair returns after a 2-year hiatus without Covid restrictions

1d | Videos
Bangladeshis among top 6 nationalities seeking asylum in Europe

Bangladeshis among top 6 nationalities seeking asylum in Europe

1d | Videos

Most Read

1
Padma Bridge from satellite. Photo: Screengrab
Bangladesh

Padma Bridge from satellite 

2
Meet the man behind 'Azke amar mon balo nei'
Splash

Meet the man behind 'Azke amar mon balo nei'

3
Photo: TBS
Bangladesh

Motorcycles banned on Padma Bridge 

4
Photo: Collected
Economy

Tech startup ShopUp bags $65m in Series B4 funding

5
World Bank to give Bangladesh $18b IDA loans in next five years
Economy

World Bank to give Bangladesh $18b IDA loans in next five years

6
Investor Hiru fined Tk2cr for market manipulation
Stocks

Investor Hiru fined Tk2cr for market manipulation

EMAIL US
contact@tbsnews.net
FOLLOW US
WHATSAPP
+880 1847416158
The Business Standard
  • About Us
  • Contact us
  • Sitemap
  • Privacy Policy
  • Comment Policy
Copyright © 2022
The Business Standard All rights reserved
Technical Partner: RSI Lab
BENEATH THE SURFACE
The Dazzling Fake Flowers: Is there any alternative to artificial flowers while decorating homes, showrooms, offices and business establishments? Fresh flowers are undoubtedly beautiful, but they dry out quickly. Hence, the demand for plastic flowers is rising day by day. Traders said these lifelike silk flowers usually come from China and Thailand. The photo was taken from the 29th International Trade Fair of the Chattogram Chamber on Friday. PHOTO: Mohammad Minhaj Uddin

Contact Us

The Business Standard

Main Office -4/A, Eskaton Garden, Dhaka- 1000

Phone: +8801847 416158 - 59

Send Opinion articles to - oped.tbs@gmail.com

For advertisement- sales@tbsnews.net