Wildlife movement in Moulvibazar’s Lawachhara National Park declined noticeably as environmentalists pointing at mismanagement, human intrusion, logging, and transport routes cutting through the forest as key reasons.
Environmental activists also cite rising tourism, illegal removal of valuable trees and bamboo, and the railway and road running directly through the forest, are few. Many animals are killed in collisions with trains and vehicles in recent years.
These factors are driving animals away from their natural habitat. A field visit inside the forest shows dozens of monkeys interacting with visitors, who often feed them despite clear restrictions. No other animals were spotted.
Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon national council member Saleh Sohel said Lawachhara is no longer safe for many species.
“There is a food crisis inside the forest. Without food, wildlife cannot survive,” he said. He added that pesticide-contaminated water from surrounding tea estates flows into the forest, killing animals.
He called for reductions in tourist entry and stricter control of trains and vehicles passing through the forest.
Creative Conservation Alliance CEO and wildlife researcher Shahriar Caesar Rahman said the forest is suffering from severe water scarcity, causing many species to disappear.
“It is difficult to determine how many animals remain,” he said.
Jamil Mohammad Khan, Assistant Conservator of Forests at the Wildlife Management and Nature Conservation Division, said monkey and wild boar populations have increased but acknowledged that a full survey is needed to determine the status of other species.
Sylhet divisional forest officer Abul Kalam said the department is trying its best to ensure safe movement for wildlife.
“Animals avoid noise and prefer quiet spaces. Heavy tourist activity, movement inside the forest and train and vehicle noise keep them away,” he said.
He added that a request has been sent to the settlement office to demarcate clear boundaries for the park.
Tourist influx has grown significantly in recent years. In 2018–19 season, 135,812 visitors entered the park. After pandemic closures, the number rose to 162,672 in 2023–24.
From July 2024 to June this year, 160,385 visitors bought tickets to enter, conservationists say these numbers put additional strain on the forest.
A 2014 survey found 247 faunal species, 167 butterfly species and 120 species of orchid in Lawachhara, but the lack of updated data leaves the present condition uncertain.
Lawachhara, declared a national park in 1996, is one of the country’s most important protected forests. Historically, the park was home to around 460 species of rare flora and fauna, including 167 plant species, four amphibians, six reptiles, 246 birds and 20 mammals.
But the current status of these species remains unclear, with no comprehensive recent surveys.
Although the park’s official area is listed as 1,250 hectares, it has no boundary wall.
Residents living along the edges have encroached on parts of the forest, clearing land for homesteads and plantations. Forest officials say recovery drives face obstacles due to the absence of clear demarcation.
Lawachhara was once well known for its hoolock gibbons, now critically endangered in Bangladesh, but even their current numbers are unknown.
Forest officials, however, dispute claims of a decline.
They say animals such as monkeys; wild boar and several bird species have increased but often move deeper into the forest during the day to avoid noise.
“Extra noise from visitors, trains and vehicles pushes wildlife away from areas near human activity,” they said.
