Nine ships went to the Sundarbans with 349 local and foreign tourists on Friday, the first day of lifting the three-month ban.

Majharul Islam Kochi, joint general secretary of Tour Operators Association of Sundarbans and proprietor of Evergreen Tours, said that out of the nine ships, seven are from Khulna, one from Mongla and one from Dhaka.

He said: “The seven ships of Khulna started from Jailkhana Ferry Ghat area at 7am. The last ship left Mongla at 11am.”

“The sea is rough. So now there is no opportunity to go to Heron Point and Dublar char. Access to these places will be open from November 1. Hence, now ships will ply Karamjal, Herbaria, Cuttack, Kachikhali and Dimerchar routes,” he added.

According to the information of the forest department, the Sundarbans currently has 114 Royal Bengal Tigers, 375 species of wild animals including 200,000 deer, 334 species of plants including Sundari, 165 species of algae, 13 species of orchids and 300 species of birds.

Inside the Sundarbans, there are 291 species of fish including crocodiles, six species of dolphins and 1,874 square kilometres of water.

There are 400 rivers and canals and 200 canals in the chest of 6,017 square kilometres Sundarbans. 289 species of land and water animals including tigers, deer, and pigs live here. There are 42 species of mammals, 35 species of reptiles, eight species of amphibians and 219 species of aquatic animals including various species of fish, the information added.

Entry to the Sundarbans was prohibited during the three months of June, July and August, as it was the breeding season for fish and wildlife. During this time fishermen, bawalis, mauals or tourists cannot enter the forest.