Biodiversity under threat as settlers clearing forest
Lathitila forest in Juri upazila of Moulvibazar faces a serious threat as settlers continue clearing forest areas for fruit cultivation and fish farming there.
The forest comprising 5631.4 acres of land is in an area covered with hillocks.
During the Pakistan period, 30 landless families were allowed to live in the ‘forest village’ for taking care of the forest and each family got two and a half acres of land to grow crops for their living, said officials of the forest department.
Now the number of settler families has increased to 500.
Visiting the spot recently, this correspondent found dwelling houses at Lalchhara, Rupachhara, Hayachhara and Champatila in the forest. Lemon, orange, banana and ginger are cultivated there. A few fish farms have also been made.
There were remains of various species of dead or dying trees in Rupachhara and Champatila.
“A section of people cut off the roots of forest trees, making them unable to take nutrients from soil. As the trees gradually die, various fruit trees are planted there to occupy the land,” said a youth seeking anonymity.
“They apply this technique, locally called ‘ringing’, as the forest department will file cases if the live trees are felled directly. Some forest officials are involved in the process,” he said.
Forest department officials on different occasions assisted in the construction of houses, cultivating fruit and fish, and stealing trees in the forest, said several other local residents, also seeking anonymity.
“Due to loss of habitat and food crisis, wild animals often come down to the locality. Owls were seen in Champatila even two or three years ago. Now they are hardly visible as trees are not that available. There are occasional incidents of deer hunting in the forest,” said a local youth.
“We use the ringing method to vacate areas in and around the forest so that fruit trees can be planted there. Many people are growing fruits or cultivating fish in the forest area for living,” said Abdur Razzak, a headman of ‘forest villagers’ in Lathitila.
This correspondent saw a few hanumans at Champatila.
Abdul Karim Kim, general secretary of the Bangladesh Paribesh Andolon’s Sylhet chapter, said the forest is gradually shrinking and its biodiversity faces threat due to human settlement and increase in commercial fruit cultivation.
People living in the area have to be rehabilitated elsewhere to save the forest, he said.
Abdul Mannan, range officer of the forest department in Juri upazila, said, “Nobody took our permission for cultivation of fruits and fish in Lathitila forest. Two or three months ago, I removed two houses that were built illegally.”
He claimed that no forest department men were involved in harming the forest.
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