International Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Studies 2017; 5(5): 365-368

E-ISSN: 2347-5129
P-ISSN: 2394-0506
(ICV-Poland) Impact Value: 5.62 Impact of oil spill in the Bangladesh Sundarbans
(GIF) Impact Factor: 0.549
IJFAS 2017; 5(5): 365-368
© 2017 IJFAS Atiqur Rahman Sunny
www.fisheriesjournal.com
Received: 18-07-2017
Accepted: 19-08-2017 Abstract
The Sundarbans is the largest mangrove forest of the world which is a part of the world's largest delta
Atiqur Rahman Sunny formed by the rivers Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna. Different marine vehicles use this channel as
Research Assistant, ECOFISHBD transportation route and causes accidents but very few studies focused on this issue. After a devastating
Project, World Fish Bangladesh oil tanker accident on 09 December, 2014 based on field work this study identifies the character of the
and South Asia spilled oil, range of the spillage, impact of spillage on aquatic environment, mangrove and human. This
study makes a contribution to present adverse impact of oil spillage through vehicle transportation along
the Sundarbans. Alternative river transportation routes must be launched from Mongla port to other parts
of the country as soon as possible. Training, equipment and experience will improve the response to
environmental emergencies and reduce the impacts on local communities and ecosystems.

Keywords: Sundarbans, oil spillage, environment, human, river, transportation

Introduction
The Sundarbans is the largest single block of tidal halophytic mangrove forest in the world [1, 2]
which is situated in the South-West area (21º 31′-22º 38′N and 89 º 00′- 89º55′ E) of
Bangladesh and has been a Ramsar site from 1992, world heritage of UNESCO from 1997 [2,
3]
. The Sundarbans covers approximately 10,000 square kilometers of which 60 percent is
in Bangladesh and remaining part in India [4, 5]. In Bangladesh the forest cover 6017 km square
area, where 4143 km square area are landmass and remaining 1874 km square area are water
bodies in forms of a network of rivers, canals and creeks [6]. Among the areas 99% covered by
the districts of Sathkhira, Khulna and Bagerhat and remaining areas are in Patuakhali and
Barguna districts [7]. The forest area is very rich with natural resources especially floral and
faunal diversity like 334 species of plants, 425 species of wildlife; including 40 species of
mammals, 300 species of birds and 35 species of reptiles 177 species of fish, 24 species of
shrimp and 7 species of crabs etc [6, 8, 2]. At least 5 million people are directly and indirectly
depending on the Sundarbans for their livelihoods where 69% are involved with the aquatic
resources, 22% people are with the collection of wood resources; 5% are involved with the
non-timber forest product; and 4% are involved with other purposes [9].
Different cargoes and water vessels used ‘Shelariver’ as a river channel inside the eastern part
of the Sundarbans for transporting all kinds of goods including oil from South-western area to
other part of Bangladesh [2]. Mongla port authority and other officials mentioned this river as a
unauthorized channel which was used due to siltation of the Mongla- Ghasiakhali- Morelgonj
river channel [9]. On December 09, 2014, a tanker named (OT southern star which was carrying
75,000 gallons (357,664 liters) of heavy fuel oil (Black furnace oil) collided at around 5 am
local time, with another vessel and partly sank in Shela river [2]. Within the one day, the oil has
spread to cover more areas, at least 20 km upstream to Mongla and at least 20 km downstream
to Horintana. Active tidal systems influenced the oil to reach into forest floors creeks and
canals. The oil deposited on the soil, plants leaves, roots, pneumatophores, stems and floating
fruits etc [9]. It is very important to investigate the adverse impact of this oil spill and this study
deals with potential impact of oil spill on environment and human being living near
Sundarbans.

Correspondence Materials and method

Atiqur Rahman Sunny Study sites
Research Assistant, ECOFISHBD
The study was conducted in three forest dependent communities of the Sundarbans. The
Project, World Fish Bangladesh
and South Asia communities were Chila, Paschim Chila and Joymonigul of Bagerhat district.
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Livelihoods of these communities were mainly dependent on making and repairing activity, as well as fuel wood, timber
fisheries (90%) with diverse job portfolios such as fishing and thatching material collection.
(main livelihood), fish drying, fish trading, net mending, boat

Fig 1: Map of the study areas

Data Collection (10%) was classified as having a high degree of oil [10]. Oil on
To collect empirical data, household survey and survey during the shoreline and on the vegetation less than 30 cm of
fishing was conducted and a number of qualitative tools such coverage showed high level of contamination. Medium
as interviews, focus group discussions, and oral history were contamination was observed on a visible line of less than 30
employed. Secondary data were mainly collected from Office cm on the vegetation and on human constructions. Low level
of the Chief Conservator of Forest, Khulna. In addition, of oil pollution was observed on the sporadic traces on the
different scholarly articles and relevant literature was shore that formed a continuous thin layer of oil on the
excerpted through online search. All of these gathered data vegetation of less than 30 cm. No oil was observed along the
were comprehensively reviewed, synthesized and relevant shore but limited trace oiling cannot be fully excluded [10].
information have used in this study.
Oil removal action
Result and discussion Local people of these communities tried their best to collect
Feature of Spilled oil the furnace oil. People started to collect the oil just after the
It was reported that 357664 liter furnace oil was released into occurrence of accident by considering not only its adverse
the river. Furnace oil is a type of heavy fuel oil. While the impact but also for its economic value. They set net in the
exact composition of the oil needs to be chemically analyzed mouth of the canal so that the oil could not enter into the
it is assumed to be close to that of intermediate fuel oil, IFO community canal network. Rope and fishing net were also
380, which has a maximum viscosity of 380 Centistokes used to scoop up oil. The UN and Govt. joint team reported
(<3.5% Sulphur) Its physical and chemical properties would that fine meshed mosquito net was very effective for removal
change into water due to evaporation, emulsification, of the heavy oil. Villagers collected oiled water hyacinth and
dissolution, photo-oxidation and biodegradation processes. grasses to collect released liquid oil by boiling theses without
Heavy fuel oil can be considered as less acutely toxic to the having any personal and respiratory protection. After boiling,
environment and human than lighter oils due to lower vegetative material was gathered at three Department of
proportions of single ring aromatics (such as benzene) and Forest’s assembly points named as Chandpai, Adharmanik,
smaller polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons [10]. Aquatic sub- and Tambulbunia. Department of Forest reported that 200
team of the UN-Govt. took different initiatives to find out the fishing boats were hired to collect oiled vegetation from the
presence of non-visible oil. Sample of water, sediment and riverbank. At first 30 taka and then 40 taka per liter was paid
fish tissues were collected for visual analysis. Buried oil (oil for recovered liters. BPC (Bangladesh Petroleum
within shoreline sediment) was found only in one site among Corporation) noticed that a total of 68,200 liters was
the four sites of the rivers by the aquatic sub-team. No buried purchased from community members over ten days.
oil was also found in Crab holes of the most heavily oiled
shore. Sunken oil was also not found during the use of Table 1: Liters of oil purchased (UNEP, 2015)
weighted sorbent line on the river bottom [10]. Date Oil collected (liters)
12 December, 2014 5,200
Range of oil spill 13 December, 2014 18000
The accident was took place among 14 villages of 4 wards 14 December, 2014 17000
named as Gabgunia, Paschim chila, Dakhin Joymonigul, 15 December, 2014 8200
Moddhya Joymonigul, Uttar Joymonigul in Chila union of 16 December, 2014 7800
Mongla Upazilla under Bagerhat district. A greater part of the 17 December, 2014 4600
surfaces of the rivers and canals of the South-eastern part of 18 December, 2014 4700
Sundarbans were covered by the oil layers. The spilled oil 19 December, 2014 800
distribution was assessed through visual observation. 20 December, 2014 1400
Approximately 80 km of shoreline was assessed where 8 km 21 December, 2014 500
Total 68,200
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International Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Studies

Representatives of the community were actively engaged in human. The adverse impact includes eye irritation, subsequent
cooperation with Department of Forest for the identification blindness, throat irritation and headache. Ingestion of
of areas within the community where waste had been buried hydrocarbons can lead to nausea and diarrhea [20]. Community
or stockpiled. Oiled debris and vegetation collected was people also mentioned similar health problems during
deposited at various points throughout the community of interview. Among 120 interviewee 45% mentioned they faced
Joymonigul. difficulty in breathing, 20% reported headache, 20% reported
eye burning, 10% reported vomiting and 5% reported itching.
Impact of oil spill on aquatic environment People were got advice from the Department of Forest to use
Parameters such as organic matter, dissolved oxygen and mask during oil collection but masks were not available in the
hydrocarbons varied according to temperature, water local market.
turbulence, depth and salinity [11]. Phytoplankton population
was highly sensitive to light soluble oil fractions. Only 18
Phytoplankton (Primary producer of food chain) species were
recorded in the oil contaminated areas and abundance was
very poor (24-67 units/l) but earlier 47 Phytoplankton species
were recorded in the Sundarbans and abundance was 226 –
456 units/l. The results indicated that phytoplankton diversity
and population/ abundance were affected by the oil
contamination. Presence of Euglena sp. and Phacus sp.
(pollution indicator) in oil contaminated areas also supported
in the findings. Poor productivity of the oil contaminated
areas also supported this finding [9]. Oil spill was also
responsible for the depletion of the fisheries resources [9, 2].
Fishermen of the community also noticed the decreased of
fish catch. Oil spill is responsible for the internal damage like
blood and kidney damage of Aquatic organisms. 27 oiled
animals (five frogs, two monitor lizards, two crocodiles,
seventeen egrets, and one otter), were observed in the
approximately two weeks following the spill 9.Water birds
were also affected and became over-weighed that reduced
swimming and flying capacity [12]. Fig 2: Impact of oil spillage on human

Impact of oil spill on Mangrove Impact of spilled oil on Livelihoods

The Sundarbans serve us with various ecosystem services like Sundarbans is a resort of livelihood and support a large
soil formation and protection, regulation of hydrological variety of wood and non-wood forest products that provide
cycle, moisture contents, evaporation, climate and protection direct and indirect services [2]. Direct services include:
of the country from natural calamities [13, 14, 15, 2]. Sundarbans construction materials (timber, railway sleeper, mining props,
also support diverse biological resources [16, 17, 18, 19]. Oil from boat building, thatch, fence), fuel (charcoal and firewood),
the fuel tank spread about 15 km downstream from the ship agricultural (fodder), fishing appliances (fishing stakes,
and affected a considerable part of the Sundarbans mangrove fishing boat, tanning for net and fish), domestic use (glue),
area. It was responsible for instant mortality of seedlings of medicinal (treatment of ringworm, mange, sore throat and
Heritiera sp and Excoecaria sp [10, 9] while patches of grass constipation) etc [21, 15, 2]. Most of the people mentioned
which were covered by oil also died [7]. Nine creeks and four adverse impact on livelihood due to oil spill during first two
forest floor sites were assessed for oiling status, mangrove weeks after accident. A large majority of the interviewees
health, and potential clean-up measures. Oil found on reported damage to their fishing gear (90) and clothes (80%),
vegetation was tested for mobility and potential routes for 20 % reported the loss of domestic ducks and 10% reported
vertical penetration into the mud and crab holes were that their drinking water supply and other sanitary facilities
assessed. Eight of the nine creeks surveyed were classified as were affected.
having low amounts of surface oiling on mangroves (i.e.,
leaves, trunks, prop roots, pneumatophores) and soil
substrates. The vegetation in the remaining one was
categorized as moderately oiled [10]. The spilled oil type,
heavy fuel oil was considered to be less acutely toxic to
mangroves, but could be more persistent in the environment
over the long-term than lighter oil.

Impact of spilled oil on Human

Oil contains many compounds that could be harmful to
humans, primarily volatile organic compounds (VOCs),
including PAHs (Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons), as well
as Sulphur- and nitrogen-containing compounds and metals.
When oil is burned, additional PAHs can be formed as
combustion by-products along with small dust particles. The
dose and duration of oil exposure will directly influence Fig 3: Impact of oil spillage on livelihood

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