Tea estate staff bar forest officials

Forest officials in Chattogram yesterday said a sapling plantation programme of theirs at a reserve forest in Fatikchari was foiled by staff of a tea estate.

AZM Hasanur Rahman, assistant conservator of forest at Chattogram South  Divisional Forest told The Daily Star that at least 70 persons from Halda Tea Valley -- armed with locally-made weapons -- took position to attack them at a nearby hill, when they started planting  saplings at Anandapur area of the Ramgor-Sitakunda reserve forest yesterday afternoon.

“At one stage, they threatened us. Sensing danger, we contacted the manager of Halda Tea Valley, who claimed the land belongs to the tea estate,” Hasanur said.

“I requested him to come over and help us detect the demarcation so that we could avoid their land and continue the plantation. However, he replied with more threats, saying we would face grave consequences if we continue the work there,” Hasanur added.

Forest department planned to plant six thousand saplings at Anandapur, he said, adding that the land falls under Ramgor-Sitakunda mouja while the tea estate’s land falls under Halda mouja.

Hasanur further alleged that at least 500 saplings that they planted were removed by the tea estate workers, and the rest were taken away by them. He also claimed that police and local administration did not help, and rather “took the tea estate’s side.”

Jahangir Alam, manager of Halda Tea Valley told The Daily Star that the High Court issued a status quo on the land where forest department was planting saplings.

He denied allegations of uprooting any saplings, adding that they sought help from local administration to maintain the status quo.

Sheik Abdullah, officer-in-charge of Vujpur Police Station told The Daily Star, “Some tension prevailed between tea estate staff and forest officials when they started planting.”

“Since there is a long-standing dispute between the two groups, we suggested the problem be solved through dialogue,” he said.

Contacted, Md Sayed Arefin, upazila nirbahi officer of Fatikchari told this newspaper that they urged both parties to maintain status quo, as there was a dispute.

“We will arrange for clear demarcation soon to resolve the problem,” he added.