Editorial
Forests face destructive swipes
Action against those responsible highly imperative
THE destruction of forests and woodland in the country goes on unabated, often in rather innovative ways. Just how much of ingenuity can be applied in destroying nature can be understood through a report in the issue of this newspaper yesterday. Those who would like to plunder forests have now devised a unique method of killing off the trees before getting hold of them. The trees are stripped bare of their barks and then salt and copper sulphate are put into the roots to have these die an inevitable death. In other words, once the trees die, it will be the authorities themselves who will be compelled to dispose of them. And who better to take charge of the trees than those who have caused their unnatural end?
In recent months and years, much has been written on the wanton destruction of forests by individuals and groups alike, with not much of governmental effort being expended towards action against those involved in the act. That has been a tragedy. It is not only individuals who are responsible for the destruction of the forests. In a number of instances, the setting up of industrial enterprises in forest areas, obviously with the permission of the authorities, has led to large-scale depletion of woodland space in the country. Governments have repeatedly failed to ensure security for the forests. Even in areas inhabited by indigenous communities (and they have traditionally lived amidst natural surroundings), efforts to set up eco parks have not only resulted in an uprooting of indigenous people but have also seen trees disappear. Again, in various regions of the country, politically powerful elements allied to one government or the other have systematically and with impunity commandeered forest land, with little or no action being taken against them. In other words, the gradual depletion of forests in Bangladesh has been a result of an all-encompassing conspiracy to deprive the country of its ecology.
Add to all this the timber allocation governments have made over the years to influential people. That was akin to collusion with those illegally engaged in destroying the forests. Besides, the expansion of urban areas for housing and other development projects has by and large meant a doing away with forestland. Now the government informs us that Bangladesh now has 17 per cent of its land covered by forests, where ideally it should be 25 per cent. The reality of how much of forestland we actually have at this point is something else. Every study points to just seven per cent of the country being home to forests. Which means that there is something of a deceptive perception of the reality at work today. Where the figure is just seven per cent, one quite fails to comprehend the reasoning behind the 17 per cent arithmetic.
And what is the government doing about saving or reclaiming our forests? The minister of state for the environment appreciates the media for highlighting the issue. And then he reassures us that whenever his ministry comes to know about such forest crimes, it will go into action. Let that begin through moving against the robber barons who have already killed off huge chunks of woodlands in these last many years.
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