25 big trees felled by Khagrachhari BARI

20 October 2009, 17:00 PM

Jasim Majumder, Khagrachhari

Only tree trunks remain on the premises of Bangladesh Agriculture Research Institute (BARI) office in Khagrachhari Sadar upazila as BARI officials recently axed down at least 25 large trees without approval from the authorities concerned.Photo: STAR

Authorities of Bangladesh Agriculture Research Institute (BARI) in Khagrachhari Sadar upazila have recently cut down at least 25 big-sized trees on their office premises without approval from the authorities concerned. As per forest ministry directives, permission from the authorities concerned is mandatory to fell any trees on government office premises, said officials of district administration and Divisional Forest Office. But the BARI authorities did not take any permission from the ministry concerned or district level forest development committee to fell those trees, sources alleged. Expressing concern over the matter, environmentalists said such practice would pose serious threat to wild birds, natural environment and biodiversity in the area. The 25 big-sized trees hosted many nests of birds, said Pradip Chowdhury, convener of the local environmental organisation 'Paribesh Surakkha Andolon'. During a recent visit to the area, The Daily Star correspondent found roots of 13 big trees in front of the BARI office. Twelve more trees were also felled on the back side. Many valuable trees have been axed down at different spots under BARI in the name of project extension or making orchards, said a Bari staff. Asked about the matter, Dr Mohammad Mohabbot Ali, chief scientific officer of Bari, Khagrachhari, said, "Only three of the axed down trees were big-sized ones. The others were small. We have axed down those trees after consulting two former director generals of Bari to extend malta and amropali orchards." "We have maintained our official procedure to axe down those trees and keep those in a pond for seasoning," he said. BARI officials, however, could not provide any document in support of the 'permission' from authorities concerned. Divisional forest officer, also member secretary of District Forest Development Committee, said Bari authorities have violated the government rules and ignored the district forest development committee in felling the trees. "BARI authorities did not inform me about cutting down those trees. They have no right to do such jobs without the approval of the district level committee or authorities concerned," said Mohammad Abdullah, Khagrachhari deputy commissioner and president of the district Forest Development Committee.