Forest dept to fell 2044 trees, Jashore road dev committee protests

Although Jashore and a number of surrounding districts are facing an acute and prolonged heatwave, the social afforestation department has decided to fell 2,044 trees.

A tender notice has already been published in the newspapers to sell the trees.

Protesting against the move, the Jashore road development and century-old tree protection committee has called upon the forest department to move away from this decision to cut down the trees in this hot weather.

But the forest department has said that there is no scope to move away from this decision for the time being.

The tender notice signed by the Jashore divisional forest officer of the Social Forest Department, Md Abul Kalam, was published on 25 April in two relatively unknown newspapers.

The notice stated that on specified conditions, tenders were being invited regarding the sales of forest trees from groves and other sources where the social afforestation tenure has expired.

The notice said that 243 old trees along a 3km stretch of road from Narendrapur in Jashore Sadar upazila to Andulia, 979 old trees along the 9km stretch from Chanchra-Bhaturia-Sharapole to Tentulia village, 502 old trees along the 4km stretch in Keshabpur upazila from Barenga Bazar to Pacharai, and 310 old trees along the 2km road from Bagharpara upazila's Dhoakhola Bazar to Talbaria.

These trees include rain trees, bakain, mahogany, segun (teak), babla, khai babla and other trees. Innumerable birds have their nests in these trees.

The Jashore road development and century-old tree protection committee, in protest, sent a press release to the media today, Thursday.

The committee's convener Khandakar Azizul Huq and member secretary Zillur Rahman, said in the statement that they have noted with deep concern and anger that the forest department has floated a tender for the sale of over 2000 old trees.

They expressed their condemnation and protest regarding this thoughtless initiative of the forest department. They are demanding that the tender notice be revoked immediately. They have also called upon conscious people to unite against those who are destroying the environment and trees.

When asked why the trees were to be felled, the Jashore divisional forest officer of the social afforestation department, Md Abul Kalam said, "I have issued a written notice in the newspapers about what I want to say. I have nothing to say outside of that."

About the protests from various organisations and individuals, he said a few organisations can speak their minds. A schedule for the tree cutting has been declared. There is no scope to move away from that for the time being.

Assistant teacher of Bhaturia School and College in Jashore Sadar upazila, Nitai Biswas, travels by motorcycle to and from work every day along the Chanchra-Bhaturia road.

He said, the landscape of mahogany, babla, koroi and so many trees on either side of the road is breathtaking. This area is relatively cooler than elsewhere because of these trees. If these trees along the road are felled, the environmental balance will be harmed. In no way can it be allowed for these trees to be cut down.