The government has officially banned the construction of new industrial establishments within a 10-kilometre radius of the Ecologically Critical Area (ECA) surrounding the Sundarbans Reserve Forest, in a major move to protect the fragile ecosystem.

The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change issued a gazette notification on Monday through its Environment-3 Wing, exercising authority under Section 5 of the Bangladesh Environment Conservation Act, 1995 (Amended 2010).

The restriction aims to prevent further ecological degradation of the Sundarbans, the world`s largest mangrove forest and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which has been under increasing environmental stress due to industrial expansion, pollution, and climate change.

According to the notification, only environmentally sustainable and planned activities that focus on conservation, pollution mitigation, and environmental improvement will be allowed within the ECA.

"This is a significant step to preserve the ecological integrity of the Sundarbans and protect biodiversity in one of the most sensitive environmental zones of the country," said an official from the ministry.

Environmental groups have long called for stricter regulations in and around the Sundarbans, particularly in response to the growing number of industrial projects near its boundary.

The ECA surrounding the Sundarbans was designated to safeguard the forest from harmful anthropogenic activities, and this latest ban is seen as a reinforcement of that mandate.