Tree felling rampant in Sundarbans

Huge quantities of logs of Sundari, Keora, Gewa, Bain, Passur and Kakra trees from the Sundarbans are being sent to different destinations, as an organised gang is engaged in felling the valuable forest resources in defiance of a government ban.

Coastguard West Zone (Mongla) recovered 416 cft (cubic foot) of logs from April 15 to August 19 this year, said Lt Abdulla Al Mamun, operations officer.

After felling the trees in Sundarbans, the logs are transported by boats, trawlers and nosimon (a locally made three-wheeler) to 73 sawmills in Sharonkhola, Mongla and Morrelganj of Bagerhat for cutting them into suitable sizes, said several locals including Shamul Haq Sumon, Mehedi Hossain and Mannu Sheikh.

The timber is sent to different destinations by boats, trawlers and trucks as an organised gang has continued the illegal business in the southern districts with the connivance of some dishonest people of the forest department, they said, adding that the forest guards remain unaware or silent about the illegal act.

As per the information of Sundarbans East Division, there are 73 illegal saw-mills in Bagerhat -- 42 in Sharankhola, 22 in Morrelganj and 9 in Mongla upazila. Most of the mills are within ten kilometres of the Sundarbans.

“A huge quantity of logs are also being sold to some sawmills and timber stores of Barguna, Patuakhali, Bagerhat and Pirojpur. Most of the sawmill owners are local influential people backed by political leaders,” said a worker seeking anonymity.

Another sawmill worker in Sharankhola said they used to cut some logs taken from the Sundarbans, but recently their owner has forbidden it.

Saiful Islam Khokon, owner of a sawmill in the same upazila, claimed that he is operating the mill after getting order from a court.

“I do not cut the logs of Sundari, Keora, Gewa, Bain, Passur and Kakra,” he said. 

Md Mahmudul Hasan, divisional forest officer of the Sundarbans East Division, said, “With the help of local administration, we have stopped the operations of some sawmills, seized their equipment and fined them. We have also made the list of illegally set sawmills and sent it to the local administrations.”

“On September 10, a letter was sent to the Bagerhat Palli Bidyut Samity, urging snapping of the power connection to the illegal sawmills in the district.

Lincon Biswas, upazila nirbahi officer of Sharankhola, said they will verify the list of forest department and then take necessary measures.

Mohammad Motahar Hossain, general manager of Bagerhat Palli Bidyut Samity, said they have already forwarded the letter to the officials concerned at the upazila level to take action according to their rules.