Sundarbans fire now under control

The fire that erupted in Tultala area of Chandpai range of the Sundarbans in Sarankhola upazila on Wednesday afternoon came finally under control on Saturday noon, reports the UNB.

 

Mohammad Manikuzzaman, deputy assistant director of Bagerhat Fire Station, said the fire is now totally under control and the firefighters have already left the area for their stations after taming the blaze.

 

Four firefighting units from Khulna, Bagerhat Sadar, Morelganj and Sharankhola stations managed to extinguish the blaze with the help of employees of the Forest Department and local people at about 12 pm.

 

Dhan Sagar Station official Sultan Mahmud said the forest department filed a case accusing six people in connection with the fire incident.

 

Among them, Sogir Choukidar, a resident of Uttar Rajapur village of Sarankhola upazila, was made the main accused.

 

The forest department will investigate the case over the fire incident and submit the report to Chief Judicial Magistrate Court on Sunday, said the station official.

 

Mohammad Saidul Islam, forest officer of the forest range (East) of the Sundarbans, said the fire caused an estimated loss of Tk 2.5 lakh. 

 

Meanwhile, a six-member probe committee, led by Mohammad Moazed Hossain, joint secretary of Environment and Forests Ministry, has been formed to investigate the fire incidents that have taken place in the forest range so far.

 

The committee was asked to submit its report within 10 days.