The Bangladesh government has closed Shela River route to allvessels after the sinking of an oil tanker that led to a massive oil spill in the Sundarbans mangrove forest.
Carrying 357,664 l of furnace oil, the tanker ‘OT Southern Star 7’ went down after being hit by another vessel on the Shela at Mrigmari in the Sundarbans Chandpai range three days ago.
Biodiversity threatened The massive oil spill from the sunken tanker has put the biodiversity and ecology of the world’s biggest mangrove forest, a world heritage site since 1997, at risk.
Forest officials suspect that all of the furnace oil in the sunken tanker has already spread into the rivers and canals of the Sundarbans.
Ministry of Shipping also said the ship which rammed the victim vessel was detained and its survey certificate and registration were cancelled.
Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan said that powdered chemicals would be sprayed to control oxygen reduction in the water.
