Mintu Deshwara

Defying an order by the Department of Environment (DoE), a pond is being filled up illegally to make way for a two-storey building in Sreemangal upazila headquarters.

Hardly two months after recovery from illegal occupiers, a large area of Bangladesh Railway’s (BR) land near Sreemangal station in Moulvibazar is again under the grabbers’ possession.

The ongoing severe cold coupled with dense fog affects Boro seedbeds, turning the tender saplings yellowish at places, especially in Haor areas of Sylhet division.

Illegal tree felling poses threat to the forest on a government-owned khas land in Paschim Singur area of Moulvibazar’s Kulaura upazila.

While many rivers in the country are dying slowly due to encroachment, several others, such as the Ratna and Shutki in Baniachong upazila of Habiganj, are facing a different predicament -- being robbed of all their aquatic life.

Cultural organisation Surer Vela in Moulvibazar hosted a solo musical soiree titled, An Evening of Rabindra Sangeet, at M Saifur Rahman Auditorium, Moulvibazar, recently. The evening featured performances by eminent Tagore singer Shreya Guhathakurta from India and renowned singer Nurul Islam.

Among eight squirrel species in the world, Malayan, the world’s largest squirrel, is found in Rema-Kalenga forest of Habiganj’s Chunarughat upazila.

Marking its 25th anniversary, Rukeya Khatun Lyceum School organised a day-long programme at its premises in Barlekha, Moulvibazar.

Baikka Beel is witnessing a sharp fall in arrival of migratory birds this winter, a situation that is worrying bird watchers and environmental activists.

Hilly rivers from upstream are a lifeline to hundreds of rivers crisscrossing the riverine country that we live in. But topography of the river basins is changing significantly as many of these rivers, streaming down from India’s Meghalaya into Sunamganj, are shrinking fast due to encroachment.

Mindless sand lifting poses threat to Manu Bridge on Moulvibazar--Kailashahar road linking Bangladesh and Tripura via Chatlapur land port in Moulvibazar’s Kulaura upazila.

Some 30 unemployed youths in Kamalganj upazila have improved fertility of about 90 bighas of fallow land following organic method.

The brick kiln sits in the middle of a village of about 2,000 inhabitants, in close proximity of an upazila town. It burns wood for its fuel. It uses barrel chimneys. It never obtained any clearance from the Department of Environment.

Recent rains naturally spelt misery amidst the winter chill but have brought smiles all around for tea production, giving hopes of an early start to the plucking season.

The ticket counters and passenger rooms at the municipality bus terminal in Moulvibazar have become a safe haven for drug peddlers and muggers as they have been lying unused for about 10 years now.

The forest department has halted its move to cut 6,632 trees in Srimangal, including natural fruit trees which are the source of food for wildlife, after it led to protests and drew flak from environmentalists.

Traditional fish drying serves as the means of survival for the people of Bhatipara Haor area in Baniachong upazila of Habiganj, especially after the recurrent damage of Boro paddy due to floods since 2017 and recent price fall of the crop.

Marking their 50th anniversary, Bangladesh Udichi Shilpi Goshthi, Kulaura Upazila unit in Moulvibazar hosted a two-day programme at the premises of Kulaura Upazila Shrity Soudha, recently. Comrade Abdul Malik inaugurated the programme.

Widowed 50-year-old tea worker Lakhpothy Bhor of Tilokpur tea garden in Kulaura upazila could not afford medical treatment on her meagre earnings. Her first child died after birth, more than 20 years ago. Her husband became sick and died not long after.

Christmas is the biggest annual festival for about a hundred indigenous families of Khasi and Garo communities that live in Jhimai Punji of Kulaura upazila.