The Forest Department has issued a stern warning that anyone collecting conch from Sundarbans rivers will face legal action. On Saturday evening, authorities broadcast the message in coastal areas of the Sundarbans through public announcements.
Officials report that an organized network has been using local fishermen to harvest conch and other shellfish from the Sundarbans rivers for illegal trafficking to India. This illegal collection is putting the biodiversity of the Sundarbans at serious risk.
AKM Fazlul Haque, Range Officer of the Satkhira Forest Division, told reporters that the Sundarbans is a protected area with strict restrictions on natural resource use. “Everyone must come forward to protect the biodiversity of the Sundarbans. Conch plays an important role in maintaining ecological balance. Its capture or collection is prohibited by law, and violators will be prosecuted,” he said.
