Three day ‘Rush Mela’ is held every year at Alorkole of Dublar Char of the Sundarbans at the end of Kartik or at the beginning of Agrahyan during full moon. This is the biggest sea fair of Asia. The fair area converts into festival with the arrival of thousands of vistors and divine blessings seekers.
Like every year the three day Rush Mela will be held from November 10 to November 12 this time. A festive mood is humming the coastal area of the Sundarbans over the Rush Mela at Dublar char. Meanwhile the visitors and the divine blessings seekers are taking preparation to go to the sacred place. They are hiring various kinds of water vessels.
The Hindu religion followers generally used to go there to wash off their sins by taking baths in the sea- water but now people of other religions also go there as a curious audience and to enjoy the fair. Even foreign tourists are also coming now. However, taking the opportunity of huge gathering some poachers and seasonal hunters are getting ready to poach deer in the Sundarbans.
Rush Mela is the biggest festival of Dublar Char island sprouting the Kunga of Bay of Bengal and dead Poshur river. According to the history of the fair it was introduced first in 1923 by one devotee Haribhajan follower of Harichand. From that time this Rush Mela has been going on at this time of the Bangla year. The fishermen and the forest living people of other religions also joined this fair seeking the divine blessings of Gazi-Kalu. The poachers taking this opportunity evading the administrations’ eye engaged in deer poaching. According to some, if poaching of deer cannot be hunted then it is useless to come to the fair.
Taking the opportunity of huge gathering centering the fair the poachers are taking all preparations to trap deer. The poachers are busy with making trap, net, fishing hook and other trap materials. As the number of deer poachers are increasing the environmentalists fear that this indiscriminate killing of deer will definitely bring ecological imbalance. This will also expedite the very existence of the deer.
There are different cruel tactics of deer poaching, many of which exceed the extreme cruelty. Even the deer is given poison with the grass and other food liked by the deer.
Khulna chapter of Sujan Advocate Kudrat -e- Khuda said that during the Rush Mela every year the deer poachers become active. Because at this time huge number devotees get the permission to enter the Sundarbans. The poachers in disguise of devotees also intrude with the devotees. The professional poachers have already made their way into the Sundarbans. The vigilance of the law enforcing agencies can only stop their illegal activities.
The Western Forest department has designated eight routes for the divine blessings seekers and the vistors. The law enforcers will be in charge of giving all kinds of security to the devotees.
The visitors and the devotees will be given permission for three days (Nov. 10 – Nov.12). At the time of entry they will have to pay entry fee. The vistors will get opportunity to use any of the designated routes and can move freely within the designated area. The vessels carrying the visitors and devotees will only make stoppage at the checking points of the Forest department. Every vessel shall have to be painted with the serial number. The visitors must carry the NID or an identification certficate issued by the UP chairmen. The visitors must not carry any explosive materials, arms, microphone horns and guns. During their stay the vistors must carry the token and ticket all the time.
Western Forest department divisional officer Md. Bashirul Al Mamun told barta24.com that Division has formed a number of vigilance teams to look after the comfort passage of the devotees and vistors. A strong security ring has been built up over the Rush Mela. The law enforcers including Rab and Coast guard will be looking the security and law and order of the area. The poachers will not get opportunity to poach deer. The violators of the rules will be dealt with strong hands.