Felling spree denudes CHT forests

Illegal firewood business has been going on unabated under the very nose of Chittagong Hill Tracts South Forest Division in Rangamati for the past couple of months, denuding evergreen hilly natural as well as government reserve forests and causing loss of wildlife and huge amount of government revenue. 
Indiscriminate felling of small tress from the natural and reserve forests is rampant everywhere in the hill district as a strong nexus of forest office, police, political parties and local timber traders’ associations is behind the illegal business.
A number of timber traders from Manikchhari have told New Age that a local reserved seat lawmaker allegedly looks after the overall illegal firewood business.
A seven-member syndicate of dishonest traders in connivance with some dishonest forest officials of CHT South Forest Division is involved in the illegal business for long in Rangamati. 
The syndicate is allegedly controlled by the local ruling party leaders, traders have said. 
CHT South Forest Division officer Towfiqul Islam, his assistant conservator of forest Abu Musa Shamsul Muhit Chowdhury (recently transferred) and his Sadar range officer Mohammed Golam Kibria are allegedly backing the illegal business. 
Sadar range office of CHT south forest division Golam Kibria claimed that permission was given for a total of 72,000 cft firewood through issuing transport pass under the process of compoundable report last year. ‘This year we issued 69 TP for 12750 cft and seized six firewood loaded jeeps,’ said Kibria. 
But traders said giving permission for 72,000 cft was mere eyewash as more than three to four lakh cft of wood was sold out and transported illegally last year. 
Syndicate members from Manikchhari said they had to provide bribe to the Sadar range office Tk 500 per jeep (firewood carrying vehicle), Tk 200 for each TP book, Tk 500 for writing of TP and Tk 500 for checking of firewood loaded jeep. 
Tk 5 per cft to divisional forest officer Towfiqul Islam and assistant conservator of forest Abu Musa Muhit Chowdhury (recently transferred from Rangamati) of CHT South Forest Division has to be paid during issuing TP. 
Moreover, Sadar range officer Kibria took Tk 1,000 from single firewood-laden jeep if it was illegal, they said.
Manikchhari Kath O Jalani Kath Babsayee Kalyan Samiti and Ekata Samiti realise Tk 100 from each jeep.
Traders have alleged that around Tk 1 crore goes to the forest officials of Sadar range office of CHT South Forest Division every season from the illegal firewood trade. 
Transferred from chief conservator of forests office on November 16, 2016, range officer Golam Kibria took the charge of Sadar range office of south forest division.
During a recent visit, illegal firewood was found piled in an area of around two kilometres at Manikchhari depot along the bank of Kaptai Lake where thousands of cubic feet of illegal different species of firewood, loaded on engine boats, were arriving at the depot every day from different areas in the district. 
‘We sell at Tk 35 per mound (40 kilogram) of firewood to the traders and I don’t know what they sell it for to the third party,’ said Aungsa Marma at Manikchhari depot who took at least 500 cft firewood by his boat from Jibtali in Sadar upzila. 
Around fifty per cent firewood timbers including teak, Koroi, Chanpalish and Gamar with other species were seen at 10 to 15 places. 
Every night, firewood loaded in 50 to 70 Jeeps (old model vehicle) is being smuggled from Manikchhari depot to different brickfields at Moghachhari in Kawkahli of the district and some parts of Chittagong division. This firewood is used in brick kilns and sells in exorbitant price by dishonest firewood traders. 
Day labours Babul Hossain, Mizanur Rahman and Jamal at Manikchhari depot told the visiting journalists that they unloaded firewood from engine boats and loaded them in jeeps almost every night and about 50 to 60 firewood-laden jeeps left the depot at a time. 
A jeep can take a load of 120 cft firewood at a time. In this way some 6,000 to 10,000 cft firewood was stolen every night from Manikchhari to Moghachhari via Rangamati-Chittagong road and Ghagra College and Ghagra Bazar routes, said a local leader, Suvas Chakma, at Ghagra. 
Around three to four lakh cft of firewood had already been smuggled from the depot at Manikchhari between October and December last year. About four lakh cft such illegal firewood was stolen in the same way that year, according to traders and officials. 
On condition of anonymity, a syndicate member said that they were running their business for long by bribing officials in forest office, police, local timber associations and political parties.
Though the Manikchhari area is under the jurisdiction of CHT South Forest Division sadar range office, it officials hardly conduct any drive against the illicit trade. 
Its range officer Muhommod Golam Kibria had once seized a small quantity of firewood but a few days later he handed over those to the traders after allegedly receiving bribe. 
Local people are stealing small trees mostly from government forests from Rampahar and Sitapahar reserve forests at Kaptai, Farua in Bilaichhari and Pablakhali wildlife sanctuary reserve forest in Longuau. 
Besides, small trees were also stolen from natural forests in ten upazilas in the district.
Denying the allegation, CHT South Forest Division Sadar range officer Muhommod Golam Kibria said his office seized 500 cft firewood on December 29. ‘Our forest patrol team is always on duty to check illegal firewood or timber business.’ 
CHT South Forest Division officer Towfiqul Islam said that he had no information about transporting firewood illegally at night from Manikchhari. 
On the other hand, similar allegation of taking bribe by the officer-in-charge of Kotwali Police Station Satyajit Barua from each timber-laden vehicle came to light. 
He takes Tk 200 from each timber-laden vehicle including firewood, traders have alleged. 
Denying allegation, Satyajit Barua said that the allegation was untrue and baseless. ‘Somebody is conspiring against me.’ 
Rangamati additional superintendent of police MKH Jahangir Hossain said he would look into the matter and stern departmental action would be taken against the police members if found guilty.

News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net