Tree felling rampant in Lathitila forest

Miscreants, allegedly under the patronage of forest department and local influentials, have been logging trees in the protected Lathitila forest in Moulvibazar's Juri upazila.

Locals alleged that some people from Dumabari area have been trafficking wood under the protection of local influential Helal Mia from Lathichhara.

Selim Mia, a local of Lathitila forest, said the loggers employ an innovative technique to conceal their crimes: they cut the trees at different ranges and then fill the area with land to hide any evidence of their misdeeds.

This correspondent managed to talk to one of the loggers, who admitted to doing this to destroy the evidence. He, however, said this is also effective for cultivating new trees and helps the forest department adjust its data.

Asked how many trees were there at the forest and how many of them were being logged, Lathitila forest beat officer Md Salauddin said he did not have exact statistics. "I'm not aware of this issue. But if we come to know of it, we will take steps and file cases."

He also said his department had recovered several trees that were cut down last year.

Contacted, local UP member Abdur Razzak said, "I admit that rampant wood trafficking is going on in the hilly areas. But we are yet to identify any group behind it."

He said he's unaware of any recent instance of mass tree-felling.

Asked, OC Sanjoy Debnath of Juri Police Station said they always respond to alerts from forest department to arrest illegal loggers.

Juri range officer Md Alauddin said they face various issues like this due to a shortage of staffers.

The total area of Lathitila forest is around 5,600 acres. But only three people are in charge of taking care of it, he added.

Abdul Karim Kim, general secretary of Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (BAPA), Sylhet chapter, told this correspondent, "Lathitila forest is rich in rare species of plants and animals, but it is being destroyed by loggers. If we want to save our environment, we must save this forest."

He alleged that a wood trafficking syndicate has been cutting the trees and selling them to traders with support from the local administration, law enforcement agencies and forest department.

Refuting the allegation, Toufiqul Islam, divisional forest officer in Sylhet, said they will investigate the matter soon and take legal action against the culprits.

Despite repeated attempts, this correspondent could not get in touch with Helal Mia.