Littering needs a fix at the Ratargul swamp forest

Immediately after I crossed over into Bangladesh at Tamabil, I wanted to visit the Ratargul swamp forest, 24 kilometres across the border as the crow flies, a freshwater swamp forest located on the Gowain river, 26 km by road from Sylhet. One of few freshwater swamp forests in the world, this forest gets submerged in the monsoons under 30 feet of water.

The scene was picturesque, 80 percent of the swamp forest area was covered under an umbrella of trees and is permanently waterlogged, the topography ensuring high water tables. I could see two layers of greenery, the upper layer with different species of trees, while the lower consisted of shrubbery resembling smooth bamboo stems. Wildlife was largely confined to different kinds of snakes, worms and mongooses. Birds were plenty and I could spot herons, egrets, kingfishers, parrots, bulbuls and doves.

The boat ride through the swamp made for an exhilarating experience. I sat cross-legged on the floor of the boat which had colourful jute matting to make me comfortable. My boatman, Nizanur Rehman was young and energetic. He rode through the narrow channel expertly with a single oar, multitasking as a guide and cameraman while adroitly steering the boat. He knew precisely at what spot to take still pictures and where to rotate the boat around and around at full speed to get memorable video shoots. His impromptu full-throated songs sung in a lovely voice as he rowed, were a delight.

An otherwise pretty scene had one major spoiler! It was off-putting to see the water channels and the swamp forest littered with single-use plastic bags and bottles, beverage cans, food waste, cigarette butts and miscellaneous items. Plastic bags can persist in the environment for a long time, posing a threat to wildlife and ecosystems. Plastic waste takes hundreds of years to decompose, persisting in the environment and causing harm. Improper disposal of discarded plastic bottles, aluminium cans, and other beverage containers leads to water pollution and harms aquatic life. Rotting leftover food, fruit peels, and organic waste attracts pests and scavengers, disrupts natural nutrient cycles, and creates unpleasant odours. Cigarette butts contain toxic chemicals, and take years to decompose, posing a hazard to wildlife besides contributing to soil and water pollution. Plastic utensils, glass bottles, metal cans, clothing, and personal items left behind by visitors stuck out like eyesores!

I have no intention of seeming 'holier than thou' as littering is a pan-South Asian problem. India's tourism hot-spots too are spoilt due to lack of infrastructure, inadequate waste management systems, insufficient public awareness and noticeable disregard for environmental conservation. Take the stunning beaches of Goa which attract millions of tourists leading to littering, especially during the peak tourist season. Or the Taj Mahal in Agra where tourists leave behind trash, tarnishing the beauty of the iconic monument and harming the surrounding environment in the process. Or spiritual and adventure tourism destinations Rishikesh and Haridwar, particularly along riverbanks and trekking trails where improper waste disposal remains a concern. Worryingly, even in Bangladesh apart from the swamp forest at Ratargul, the longest natural sea beach in the world, Cox's Bazar has a littering problem too. The Sundarbans, UNESCO World Heritage Site, and even the picturesque Saint Martin's Island in the Bay of Bengal with its pristine beaches and coral reefs face significant challenges to preserving its natural beauty.

When I mentioned ' litter' to my boatman Nizanur, he too was disturbed because tourists don't bother with basic cleanliness. He pointed out various prominently placed billboards asking tourists not to litter highlighting the entry ticket to the swamp forest which carried a request to every guest, not to litter. Visitors come to the swamp forest to experience its natural beauty and biodiversity, litter scattered throughout detracts from this experience evoking feelings of disappointment, indicating a lack of respect for nature.

I came to Ratargul to witness pristine landscapes and clear waterways, not to encounter trash-strewn paths and polluted water bodies in the forest. Littering is perceived as a sign of neglect, a lack of care for the environment, certainly eroding my trust in the destination and willingness to give positive recommendations to other travellers on my return to India. Doesn't this reflect poorly on the management of the tourist site by the Bangladesh tourism authority?

Nevertheless, there is hope, as several stakeholders are always keen to maintain the ecological integrity of tourist spots and minimise human impact on the environment. These include environmentalists and conservationists, to local communities living in the vicinity of swamp forests who realise the negative effects on their livelihoods and well-being relying on the forest for freshwater, fish, and forest products. Local and national government agencies representing the Bangladesh Government have a vested interest in preventing littering. They only need to be more zealous in implementing regulations and enforcing anti-littering laws. Tour operators and guides understand how essential it is to preserve the natural beauty of the area to attract tourists and sustain their businesses over the long term.

One must realise that not only does littering detract from the natural beauty of the area, but it can also harm wildlife and ecosystems. So what can we do at Ratargul? How can tourists get positive vibes? Ratargul requires a combination of education, enforcement of littering laws, and community involvement. Promoting awareness and providing adequate waste disposal facilities are crucial too. Overall, a multi-faceted collective approach can ensure conservation for future generations. Only then visitors from far-off places will be able to revel in the picturesque greenery and uniqueness of a swamp forest experience.

Priyan R Naik is a columnist and a freelance journalist living in Bengaluru, India. He appears in the Ceylon Today of Colombo, Indian news dailies including the Deccan Herald, Hindustan Times, Hindu, Times of India and the Navhind Times. His Twitter handle is @priyannaik