It has been proved again that Sundarbans can protect Bangladesh and its people from cyclones. It would not be advisable to do anything that damages or destroys the largest mangrove forest. Thousands of trees were burnt in the recent fire in Sundarbans.
After Sundarbans, embankments are what save lives and livelihoods in coastal areas during natural disasters. After every natural disaster, there is a hue and cry about embankment repairs, but no effective and sustainable steps are taken to repair embankments.
During cyclone Remal, the embankments in Satkhira remained unscathed, but those in Bhola, Patuakhali, Barguna, Khulna and Bagerhat were severely damaged. 10 km of the 1,300 km long embankment in Patuakhali is reported to be in a dilapidated state, which shows the negligence of the authorities towards these areas.