It’s a sunny afternoon in the heart of the Sundarbans. An eerie silence hangs all around. Occasionally, the gentle murmur of water, the soft rustling of leaves in the breeze, a distant call of a deer, or the playful jumping of monkeys in the trees can be heard. But the true ruler of this forest, the Royal Bengal Tiger, is now rarely heard. Amid the silence, what is most strongly felt is the sound of absence — a dreadful emptiness.
Today, July 29, is International Tiger Day. On this day, awareness and conservation of tigers are discussed across the world. The same happens in Bangladesh, especially regarding the Sundarbans. But the question is, how effective are these discussions and promises? At the heart of this forest, this life, this symbol, lies a creature that is now in crisis. Once, its roar would send shivers through the forest life — now that roar is fading away in silence.
One notable government statistic from 2004 showed that there were around 440 tigers in the Sundarbans. Before that, the number may have even been close to 500. Then came a series of crises. A 2015 camera trap survey showed the number had plummeted to just 106. The latest available data shows the number rose slightly to 114 in 2018. Although no new census has been conducted in the past five years, ground realities suggest that the number may have decreased further.
These numbers are not just statistics; they are a dire warning. Because the tiger in the Sundarbans is more than just an animal — it is the keystone of the ecosystem. It controls the population of deer, wild boars, and other medium-sized mammals. Without tigers, their population would explode and devastate forest resources. As a result, the forest would deteriorate, and coastal regions would become even more vulnerable.
Forest officials, researchers, and locals say poaching, deforestation, wildlife trafficking, drying rivers, and food shortages have all pushed the tiger toward extinction. Even the number of spotted deer, the tiger’s main prey, has declined. Inside the forest, shrimp enclosures, timber smuggling, and charcoal kilns have shrunk the tiger’s movement area. Salinity from above is eliminating natural food sources, while human activities from below are pushing the animal toward death.
Fishermen say that in the past, when they went deep into the forest to fish, they would retreat at the sound of a tiger’s roar in the distance. That fear no longer exists — because that roar is no longer heard. This lack of fear feels like an unnatural comfort. Where there are no tigers, there can be no safe forest either.
During cyclones like Sidr in 2007 or Aila in 2009, the Sundarbans acted as a living shield for the coastal region. Millions of lives were saved because of the forest. To protect the forest, we must protect the tiger — are we able to understand this truth?
The government says it’s implementing activities like “Smart Patrolling,” “TIG” camera traps, and training forest guards. Forest conservation projects have also been taken up with international cooperation. But there are still shortcomings in field-level implementation. Forest guards lack proper equipment, local awareness is low, and most projects often remain confined to glossy reports.
To save the tiger, not only the government but also the people must take responsibility. Without alternative income-generating programs for forest-dependent communities, they will be forced to enter the forest. This will increase human-tiger conflict — more people will die, and more tigers too. This cycle could eventually wipe out the entire species.
So on this Tiger Day, the question is clear — do we want to leave behind a silent, roarless Sundarbans for the future? Or will we rise while there’s still time, take action, and protect this priceless creature?
The roar of the tiger is not just a sound of fear — it is a declaration of natural balance. If that roar disappears forever, a part of us will vanish with it. Time is running out.
Special feature written by – Tariq Litu
LND/NE
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