A local union parishad (UP) member was held on charge of cutting roadside trees at Natunvarenga village in Bera upazila on Sunday.

The arrestee, Md Abdur Rahim, member of ward No 2 of Natunvarenga UP, was sent to jail through the court.

Bera Police Station OC Md Mozaffar Hossain said Rahim and his men cut 20 to 25 valuable trees beside Natunvarenga-Kushiara road on Friday, ignoring the protest of the villagers.

Local elite Md Khalilur Rahman, also a member of the forestation committee in the village, filed a case against Rahim with the police station on Saturday night and police arrested Rahim from his residence the next day, the OC said, adding that the arrestee admitted his crime to police.

"If Rahim is guilty he must be punished. He will not get support from the UP," said UP Chairman Md Amzad Hossain.