The vanishing pharmacy of the Sundarbans

What the report says

Al Jazeera reports from Koyra Upazila in southwestern Bangladesh on the shrinking supply of medicinal plants in the Sundarbans, the world’s largest tidal mangrove forest. The feature follows Suranjan Raptan, a 40-year-old traditional healer, or kabiraj, who has spent more than two decades gathering leaves, roots and bark from the forest for home remedies. He says plants that were once easy to find are now disappearing or becoming harder to locate.

The article links that change to rising sea levels, saltwater intrusion and repeated cyclones, which are altering the forest ecosystem. Raptan says the forest began to feel thinner after Cyclone Aila in 2009, and that the loss became more noticeable around 2015 or 2016. Al Jazeera also notes that younger villagers increasingly rely on community clinics and pharmacies, while older residents and those with fewer resources still turn to kabiraj for care.

The piece places this local shift in a broader regional context. The Sundarbans spans Bangladesh and India and supports hundreds of plant species as well as wildlife such as the Royal Bengal tiger and saltwater crocodile. For generations, nearby communities have depended on the forest not only for medicine but also for food and fuel. The report suggests that environmental change is affecting both traditional knowledge and access to affordable, locally rooted healthcare.