Boat laden with sundari logs seized

Police seized logs of sundari trees, which grow only in the Sundarbans, from an engine-run boat in Nesarabad upazila yesterday morning.

Jalil Ahmed, sub-inspector (SI) of Nesarabad Police Station (PS), also in charge of Patikelbari police outpost in the upazila, said law enforcers intercepted an engine-run boat at Ganakpara Canal under Doihari union in the upazila around 9:00am and seized 50 sundari (a rare and valuable tree) logs covered with jute sacks.

They arrested two people named Belal and Mannan of Pathorghata upazila in Barguna district from the boat.

The logs were being taken for sale at Inderhat market in the upazila from the Sundarbans, police said.

In 1985, the government banned felling of sundari trees and selling and transportation of logs to save this rare species as well as the Sundarbans.

In spite of the ban, unscrupulous traders with the help of forest department men are felling sundari trees and selling the logs secretly.