A new blaze erupts in Sundarbans

Relief was fleeting in the Sundarbans. Hours after firefighters tamed a blaze in Kalamteji Tepar khal Sunday morning, a fresh fire flared in Shaplar Bil, in Dhansagar Patrol Post in the Chandpai Range.

The East Division’s mangrove maze, barely catching its breath, is burning again—and this time, drones are watching.  

Saturday’s dawn had sparked trouble—a fire at Tepar khal near Kalamteji Camp raged over 24 hours before firefighters wrestled it down by Sunday’s first light. Victory was short-lived. By midday, the Forest Department clocked smoke curling from Shaplar Bil’s dense thickets. 

“We’re on it,” said Divisional Forest Officer Kazi Mohammad Nurul Karim, dispatching staff and drones to scope the threat. “Details wait ‘til we’re there.”  

Sharankhola Fire Station’s Aftab-e-Alam did not hesitate—his crew rolled out, chasing reports of the new inferno. 

Forest teams joined the trek, but the Sundarbans’ wild sprawl slows every step. 

Above, a drone hums, feeding intel to a department racing against flame and time. “We’re gathering what we can,” Karim added, voice taut with the stakes.  

Two fires in two days—the Sundarbans is not yielding quietly. Kalamteji’s embers cooled only to ignite Shaplar Bil’s tinder. With drones aloft and boots inbound, the question smoulders: can they choke this sequel, or will the mangroves mourn another scar? Nightfall might tell.  

Source: UNB