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30,000 trees wiped out in seven days

Greed of influentials, forest men leaves Teknaf beach barren

A Correspondent, cox's Bazar
At least 30,000 Jhau (tamarisk) trees have been felled by a section of local influential people in Teknaf beach of Cox's Bazar in last seven days while the forest department remained a silent spectator of the mindless tree felling.
As a result of felling the Jhau trees, a total of 10 kilometres beach stretching
from Shahparir Dwip to Baharchhara of the upazila has become denuded land, increasing the risk during the time of any natural disaster like cyclone and tidal surge in the areas.
Sources said influential people are now trying to grab the treeless land as the department concerned is not taking any action. Allegations are there that some local forest workers have been taking
benefits in exchange of cooperation in felling Jhau trees and grabbing lands.
On information, Rapid Action Battalion (Rab), police and BDR in joint raids yesterday recovered about 7,500 felled Jhau trees from different nearby villages of the beach and arrested a man in this connection.
Coastal Forest Department sources
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said about five lakh Jhau trees were planted on 700 acres of sandy beach on a stretch of about 10 kilometres from Shahparir Dwip in Sabrang Union of the upazila to Baharchhara in 1995 to save life and properties of the people living in the Teknaf coast.
In the course of long 14 years, the trees became big and formed a dense forest. Lakhs of Jhau trees act as wall to save the coast during tidal surges or cyclones. But for the last few months tiiese trees are being felled.
A group of journalists during a spot visit at 11:00am on Saturday found that hundreds of trees from the government tamarisk tree garden at Khurer Mukh area under Sabrang Union were being cut and taken away in broad day light by some local people and no one was obstructing them, not even anybody from the forest department.
/Unit Hossain, 45, a resident of Khurer Mukh area, said they have to payTk 100 to the forest workers against each tree. The bigger part of the money goes to the higher authorities through Teknaf Range Officer. He said he gets Tk 500 to 600 by selling a piece of tree.
Teknaf Coast Forest Range Officer Golam Mostafa denied the allegation of taking bribe. "We cannot protect the tamarisk garden due to lack of manpower. If a case is filed, the police don’t catch the tree thieves. Now it has become risky for us to keep guard on the forest, "he said.
Teknaf Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Jalal Ahmed Chowdhury also denied the allegation against police. "Whenever the forest department wants our coop eration, we extend our hands. When the tamarisk gardens are destroyed, the forest department remains silent," the OC added.
After seeing the situation on Saturday, the journalists
informed Teknaf Upazila Parishad Chairman Md Shafique Miah, Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) AMM Nazim Uddin and other officials concerned of this over cell phone. The upazila chairman and UNO along with the members of Rab, police and BDR then rushed to the spot.
At around 12.30pm, the law enforcers started drives to recover the felled trees.
Sources concerned said Rab members led by Rab Teknaf Region in-charge Lutfor Reza recovered around 2,000 Jhau trees from a shrimp enclosure of Abdullah and die houses and ponds of Ashraf Ali, Abdul Amin, Iman Ali, Md Yunus and Mohammad Hossain.
Hamid Hossain, 32, son of late Hasan Ali of Katabunia village, was arrested during the raid.
Police and BDR also recovered 5,000 trees from the house, pond and canals of several villages near to the beach. However, no one could be arrested in this connection.
UNO Nazim Uddin said about 7,000 trees have been recovered during raids in several villages until yesterday evening.
He alleged that eviction drive could not be conducted against the accused due to non-cooperation of die forest department. He said it is the responsibility of the forest department to file case against the persons from whose houses the trees have been seized.
Upazila Chairman Shafique Miah said about 20,000 trees have been felled only from the Jhau garden adjacent to Katabunia village in last few days. Earlier, 20,000 to 30,000 Jhau trees were also cut stolen from the garden.
Local people said the felled trees are smuggled to Cox's Bazar by trawlers. A piece of Jhau tree is sold between Tk 500 and Ik 1,200.