‘Abandon plan to fell trees beside Lawachhara forest’
A section of concerned citizens and green activists yesterday at a human chain in Srimangal town demanded withdrawal of a government plan to fell trees in Chautoli Beat near the Lawachhara reserve forest.
‘Lawachhara Bon O Jib Boichitro Rokkha Andolon’ (conservation movement for Lawachhara forest and its biodiversity) organised the event in Main Point area of the town.
Addressing the programme, Dipen Bhattacharjee, Srimangal unit vice president of Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB), said the move is designed for personal gains.
There will be a negative impact on the environment if the authorities cut down the trees there. Such move will be equally disastrous to the wildlife as well as to the humans and the overall economy in the area, he added.
Joly Paul, convener of the organiser, alleged that the forestry department is least bothered to save the Lawachhara forest.
Her organisation will continue its protest until the decision to chop down the trees is withdrawn, she also said.
Abdul Karim Kim, central member of Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (BAPA), called upon the government not to undertake any project that may destroy the environment and affect free movement of animals in and around the forest.
Once the trees in the Chautoli Beat are cut down, rare trees in the Lawachhara reserve forest will be exposed and those will eventually run the risk of getting chopped down by unscrupulous people, he told this correspondent, adding that due to this risk, the authorities should not cut any tree in Chautoli beat.
Unless destruction of wild animal habitats, through felling of trees in the forests, is not stopped, the animals will be forced to look for food in adjacent human habitations, speakers at the human chain said.
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