Mother nature guarded by her daughters

"Timber lifters do not enter the forest anymore. Deer, monkeys, pigs and other species of wild animals can roam freely in the sanctuary."

Shafiqul Islam Divisional forest officer of Chattogram South Forest Department

Parveen Atker -- with a baton in her hand and a seemingly ever-lasting smile on her face -- looked confident as ever, while guarding the Dudpukuria-Dhopachari Wildlife Sanctuary in Chattogram.

She used to work as a day labourer and continued in this profession for more than a year. But her calling was elsewhere, amidst nature. Following the call, she decided to join the forest department as a temporary guard.

However, the decision was not welcome in her family. The job was unconventional for women of Bangladesh, to say the least.

The dedication she had for the job had its prices as well. Parveen was abandoned by her husband four years ago, following her decision to work as a forest guard.

Looking back, Parveen -- a 28-year-old independent working woman -- has no regrets. "We get paid Tk 250 per day for the job. This is a whole new life of possibilities for us," she said.

The 11,654-acre Dudpukuria-Dhopachari Sanctuary is home to at least 608 species of plants and more than 500 wildlife species, making it a wildlife hotspot, according to forest department officials in Chattogram.

The area was officially declared a wildlife sanctuary by the government of Bangladesh on April 6, 2010.

During a recent visit to Dhopachari, this correspondent suddenly heard a whistle. Following the sound, a group of women were found walking in the forest with flutes and sticks.

These women have been engaged in forest protection under various projects implemented by the forest department since 2015.

Earlier, 21 women worked as forest guards in the wildlife sanctuary under the Climate-Resilient Ecosystems and Livelihoods (CREL) project, funded by USAID. Five women are currently working in this sanctuary under the Sustainable Forests & Livelihoods (SUFAL) Project of the Forest Department, after the expiration of the first one.

There are stories quite opposite to Parveen's as well. Take Salma Begum, a mother of three, for example. Her story is one of immense support and equal load sharing by the family.

"I was the sole bread earner of the family before. Now my wife also works and earns money. We are now a prosperous family and together we do household work," said Salma's husband Mohammad Ayub.

Like male rangers, these women work eight hours a day, chasing wood thieves and animal hunters. To these thieves and hunters, they have turned into quite a nightmare.

"Timber lifters do not enter the forest anymore. Deer, monkeys, pigs and other species of wild animals can roam freely in the sanctuary," said Shafiqul Islam, divisional forest officer of Chattogram South Forest Department.

Under the SUFAL project, more women will be involved in forest work through the Cooperative Forest Management Committee (CFMC), according to forest officials.

"Women will also get loans for improving livelihoods and community development under the SUFAL project," said Shafiqul.