A rare mangrove forest in Barguna’s Taltali upazila is facing growing pressure from unregulated tourism and attempts at unplanned development, raising concerns over the future of the fragile coastal ecosystem.
Visitors walking over the mangrove’s exposed breathing roots, motorcycles entering the forest, plastic pollution, tree felling, and soil excavation for construction have all contributed to environmental degradation, according to forest officials and conservationists.
At low tide, Nidrarchar in Sonakata union appears as a barren stretch of mud and sand. As the tide returns, it transforms into a dense mangrove landscape of keora and gewa trees, red crabs and tidal waterways, making it one of the most distinctive coastal ecosystems in the country.
Forest Beat Officer Rahimul Islam Jumel said officials discovered illegal felling of keora trees, soil excavation for road construction, and the installation of five concrete benches inside the protected forest during a patrol on April 26. Those involved fled after spotting forest personnel.
The forest department later demolished the benches and filed a case over the alleged attempt to encroach on protected forest land. A court recently sent five accused to jail in the case.
The incident also sparked controversy over plans to develop tourist facilities inside the reserve forest.
Taltali Upazila Nirbahi Officer Md Zahidul Islam said that proposals to build washrooms, benches, and walkways could not be implemented due to objections from the forest department.
He claimed the five benches did not involve government funds.
However, Sonakata Union Parishad Chairman Md Yunus Forazi disputed the claim, saying the upazila administration had allocated Tk 1,07,000 under a Test Relief project for the benches.
He said half the amount had been paid, while the remainder is still pending.
Environmental activist and tourism organiser Arifur Rahman said visitor numbers surged after images of Nidrarchar circulated on social media and in the mainstream media late last year, but no visitor management system was introduced.
“As a result, tourists are walking directly over the mangrove’s breathing roots and even riding motorcycles through the forest, causing ecological damage,” he said.
According to the forest department, about 1,000 acres of Nidrarchar were declared protected forest in 2004. In a proposal submitted to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change on May 20, the Coastal Forest Division said a 16.06-acre section of the forest represents a rare biodiversity habitat found only in one other location in Bangladesh -- Guliakhali in Chattogram’s Sitakunda.
Beat Officer Jumel said unrestricted tourist movement, motorcycle entry, and plastic waste pose the greatest threat to the breathing roots, which enable mangrove trees to absorb oxygen.
Divisional Forest Officer Dr Md Zahidur Rahman Mia said the forest provides habitat for turtles, crabs, oysters, snails, marine fish, reptiles and many other species, while its coastal vegetation also serves as a natural barrier against cyclones, tidal surges and salinity.
