The residents of four villages in Madhupur upazila in the district will have to plant 50,000 saplings on 200 acres of forestlands at their own cost within 15 days as penalty for uprooting about the same number of newly planted forest-tree saplings.

This decision was taken at a meeting organised by the local administration and forest department in Madhupur Upazila Nirbahi Officer's (UNO) Office on Sunday.

On September 30, about 300 people of Ragamari, Burakuri, Surental and' Quiertal villages under Sholakuri union in the upazila uprooted the newly planted tree saplings on 200 acres of fallen forestlands under Dokhala Range, local administration and forest department sourcessaid.

Later the villagers tried to grab rhe forestlands but the authorities foiled their attempt, they said.

Fore: t department, however, desisted from filing any case against the villagers and called them to ittendSunday's meeting.

Divisional Forest Officer in Tangai Abdullah-al-Mamun Chowdt ury, Madhupur Upazila Nirbahi Officer MA Parvez Rahim, Assistar t Forest Conservator in Madhupur Rabindranath Adhikaii and Sholakuri union parisha 1 Chairman Yaqub Ali Mere present, among others, at the me: ting attended by a good numbei of people of the four villages

Whe i contacted, Madhupur UNO Pa -vez Rahim told The Daily Star tha: they have arranged the 'unique punishment' instead of taking t ny legal step against the villagers with a view to raising good sense in heir mind.

Meai while, forest department with tht help of local administration an 1 joint forces recovered some 3, >00 acres of forestlands in Madhipur and Dhanbari upazila: since February 15 this year.