40 trees felled forcibly

Without serving any notice, the local administration allegedly cut down around 40 trees owned by a teacher at village Digarkanda to build a concrete road in Phulpur upazila.

The trees include five fruit bearing coconut trees, locals said.

"No notice was served earlier and we were not informed about cutting down of the trees," said Md Abdul Khaleque, the owner of the trees.

Officials of local administration and police visited the spot on Tuesday morning and ordered some local labourers to cut down the trees besides the road, said Khaleque, an assistant teacher of a madrasa.

"I was not at home then and on information I rushed to the spot around 10.00am Wednesday and asked the labourers why they were cutting down the trees without any information. The labourers told me that they were cutting down the trees being directed by local administration," said Khaleque.

"They took away many trees and green coconuts. They misbehaved with me and hurled abuses," he alleged.

"The construction of the 10-kilometer Harirampur-Banuakanda road could be done without cutting down the trees planted on my land," he added.

Mazharul Haque, officer in charge of Phulpur Police Station, said he knew nothing about cutting down of the trees. No complaint was reported with the police station regarding the matter, the OC added.

Contacted, Subrata Pal, upazila nirbahi officer of Phulpur, said he visited the area on Tuesday and asked all concerned to remove their trees if planted on the road land.

"No order to cut down the trees was passed and I know nothing about cutting down of Khaleque's trees," said the UNO.

"If vested quarters cut down the trees for their own interest in the name of road construction, the owner can go for legal action and I will look into the matter," the UNO added.

The measurement of the road is yet to be completed, he said.