Illegal tree felling by AL man alleged

A local Awami League leader fells this decades-old raintree beside Lalmonirhat-Burimari Road in Kaliganj upazila of Lalmonirhat district yesterday. Photo: Star

A three-decade-old raintree beside Lalmonirhat- Burimari highway at Kakina village in Kaliganj upazila was felled 'illegally' on Wednesday.
Locals alleged that Awami League (AL) activist Hafiz Uddin, chairman of Kakina union parishad with the help of district council administrator Motiar Rahman engaged at least eight labourers to fell the tree.
Contacted, the chairman said the tree was chopped down after taking written permission from the administrator.
“Motiar Rahman also asked me to keep the felled tree under my custody without auction”, he said.
Sohidar Rahman, 65, of the village, said as a party man, it was easy for Hafiz to take permission from Motiar Rahman, also general secretary of district AL for felling the tree.
Meanwhile, Motiar said he did not give such written permission over the issue.
Chief executive of the district council Mohammad Shahjahan said, we did not issue any written permission without legal auction.