MP's aide plunders 50 trees

A personal assistant of a ruling party lawmaker felled and looted more than 50 trees of LGED on Baishari-Bisharkandi roadsides at Iluhar union of Banaripara upazila in Barisal.
The trees, mostly mahogany, shegun, chambal, coconut, betelnut, raintree, were planted 12 years ago.
Abdus Salam Munshi, APS of Awami League lawmaker Principal Shah Alam of Pirojpur-2, felled the trees worth around Tk 1.5 lakh in two phases, said local sources.
Jalil Munshi, a cousin of Salam Munshi, said he planted the trees according to a contract with LGED under a social afforestation programme 12 years ago.
Salam Munshi and his brother Rob Munshi felled and looted the trees in two phases--the first week of December and on January 23, Jalil said.
“I informed the matter to the local LGED authority and they [LGED] formed a probe committee to investigate the tree felling incident,” he said, alleging that Salam is exercising his influence for delayed submission of the probe report.
Denying the allegation, Salam Munshi claimed the trees were planted by his family members, and he felled the trees legally after they reached maturity.
Abul Hossain Khan, upazila LGED engineer, said he has asked engineer Masum of his office to submit the probe report within this week.
Abul Kalam Azad, upzila nirbahi officer of Banaripara, said he has asked the LGED officials to lodge a case against the person responsible for looting the trees after the investigation.