25 teak trees of Lawachhara forest looted

TESTIMONY TO LOOTING: One of the trunks of 25 trees that were illegally felled and removed from Lawachhara Reserve Forest during the Eid holidays. Photo: STAR

Trees worth about Tk 20 lakh have been plundered from Lawachhara Reserve Forest under Kamalganj upazila of Moulvibazar district during Eid holidays.
But the forest department officials claimed no trees were plundered during the period as forest guards were on high alert.
During visit to Lawachhara Reserved Forest on Monday, this correspondent found that about 15 segun (teak) trees were felled and taken away from different places of the forest.
He also found that about 10 segun trees were plundered from a hillock located only 10 yards from the entrance to Lawachara Reserved Forest.
It is alleged that an influential quarter was involved in plundering trees of the reserve forest. According to forest experts, market price of all the stolen trees would be about Tk 20 lakh.
When contacted, Mahbubur Rahman, divisional forest officer, said a gang of plunderers tried to enter the forest, but forest guards foiled the attempt. He however said the allegation of plundering trees will be investigated.
Rafiqur Rahman, president of Lawachhara National Park Co-Management Committee at Kamalganj, said necessary measures have been taken to protect trees from plunderers.
Kamalganj Upazila Law and Order Committee in its monthly meeting on Monday discussed the issue. Chief Whip Abdus Shahid, who attended the meeting as chief guest, asked the upazila nirbahi officer (UNO) and other officials concerned to properly investigate the matter and take action against the persons involved in plundering trees from the reserved forest.