Bagerhat: The Forest Department has filed a case against six fishermen in connection with the Wednesday’s fire in Chandpai range of the Sundarbans that burnt around 8.5 acres of forestry, reported UNB.

Dhansagar officer Sultan Mahmud under the Chandpai range of the Sundarbans East Zone filed the case with Sharankhola Police on Wednesday night.

The accused include Shajahan Hawladar, 80, a resident of Uttar Rajapur village of Sharankhola upazila, and five others from the same village.

Sultan said the Forest Department has found that some quarters have for years been involved in setting fire in forest areas ahead of the rainy season as it is convenient for fishing.

The department in its investigation into the forest fire that broke at Nangli camp of Panchkoralia area under Dhansagar station on Wednesday was also set by a group of people with the help of the accused, he added.

The station officer also noted that the department has deployed a six-member team in the affected area to keep vigil round-the-clock.

The fire originated from a point at Nangli camp around 10:00am.

Three firefighting units from Bagerhat sadar, Morelganj and Sharankhola rushed to the spot and brought the blaze under control.

Before the fire was brought under control, it burned around 8.5 acres of forestry to ashes.

The Forest Department formed a three-member committee, led by assistant forest conservator (Chandpai Range) Belayet Hossain, to investigate the fire incident.

The committee was asked to submit its report within two weeks.

In the recent past, another fire broke out in the Dhanshagor station’s Nangli forest camp area of the Sundarbans’ Chadpai Range on March 27.

In the last 14 years, there have been 19 fire incidents in Chandpai and Sharankhola ranges of the Sundarbans.