Illegal logging unabated in remote Bandarban

CHT Desk

Illegal logging is continuously unabated in the deep forests of Bandarban destroying the wildlife, biodiversity and contributing to deforestation.

Century-old trees are being illegally felled from Unclassified State Forest (USF) of remote forest of the district.

Neel Jamshed who visited the area and took the photos and video said century old trees are being felled down from remote Hanjurai, Dotong, Nepiu Jiri, and Tandui area of Thanchi upazila.

“The loggers are continuously destroying the biodiversity of the area while water crisis becomes serious in the remote indigenous paras”, said Jamshed.

“Local administration and the forest department immediately should take stern action to stop this dense forest destruction”, he added.

 Md Anwar Hossain, former assistant conservator of forest (ACF) of Bandarban Pulpwood Plantation Division, said, “If anybody cut trees from unclassified state forest this is illegal while we didn’t give any joth permission in these areas”.

“Magnolia champaca and Anisoptera scaphula trees are forbidden to cut”, said the ACF.

Jumlian Amlai, president of Bandarban chapter of Parbatya Chattogram Forest and Land Rights Protection Movement said “If anyone cut trees from Unclassified State Forest (USF) this is totally illegal.”

Local sources said syndicate led by timber merchants from Bandarban town and Chattogram was involved with logging century old trees from the dense forest of Bandarban for the last couple of years.

There are lots of allegations of direct and indirect involvement of forest officials in the wood logging.

The forest officials however denied the allegations and always claimed they have manpower shortages.