Five days left to vote for Sundarbans
Anyone who wants to see the Sundarbans as a natural wonder of the world has got only five days left to vote for the vast mangrove forest of Bangladesh.
The world's new seven natural wonders will be announced after the voting ends at 5:00pm on November 11.
The Sundarbans, one of the 28 finalists still in the race, has a very good chance to claim a place among the final seven, say campaigners.
The votes for the Sundarbans soared after short message service (SMS) voting was introduced this June. The forest swung between the first and second place on the list, but seemed to have tumbled in the recent rankings put on the official website of the New Seven Wonders Foundation, the Switzerland-based organisation to crown the new natural wonders.
Campaigners say the recent rankings are based on online voting. “Online votes are scant in our country. So the position of the Sundarbans is moving upward and downward at times”, said Al-haj Liakat Ali, convener, Sundarbans Supporters Committee of Bangladesh.
He, however, said the SMS votes would be added to the online votes in the final ranking, which would stand the Sundarbans in a good stead to end up as one of the top seven.
The Sundarbans is now the only Asian forest to grace the list of the 28 finalists.
Last night, a visit to the official website of the Foundation (new7wonders.com/voting-trends) showed an upward trend of voting for the Sundarbans.
The world's largest mangrove forest, however, has a lot of ground to cover, as it has contestants the likes of Amazon Rainforest of South America, the Grand Canyon of the United States, and the Yushan Mountain Range in Chinese Taipei.
Online voters are asked to cast seven votes for their seven wonders, and if one of the seven votes goes to the Sundarbans, it would be a big boon for the forest, they say.
Non-resident Bangladeshis should come forward and campaign for the forest in their respective countries of living as well, they add.
To vote for the Sundarbans, one is required to type SB and send it to 16333 from any mobile phone operators. The New Seven Wonders Foundation will thank the voter in a return message. Votes can also be cast online through the link: new7wonders.com/vote-2.
If selected as a natural wonder, the Sundarbans is expected to enhance the country's national image and attract more tourists alongside bringing lasting economic effects.
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