UNO fells trees at PC Roy's house
The upazila nirbahi officer of Paikgachha in Khulna district arranged felling two large jackfruit trees on the premises of the ancestral house of Acharya PC Roy, at Rarhuli village on Saturday, right, some of the logs at a saw mill. Photo: STAR
The UNO of Paikgachha upazila has felled two 40-year-old jackfruit trees worth Tk 15 lakh at the ancestral home of eminent scientist Acharya Prafulla Chandra Roy. Upazila nirbahi officer Kazi Atiur Rahman cut down the trees with the help of over 10 wood cutters on Saturday, said the caretaker of the house who is also an official of archaeological department. The ancestral home of PC Roy, a famous chemist, politician of rare quality and an educationist of high calibre in undivided India, is situated on six acres of land at Rarhuli village on the bank of Kobadak River in the district. The archaeological department had been looking after the home where Roy was born on August 2 in 1861 and did many of research works during his lifetime. Caretaker Tapan Kumar Dutta said, the UNO felled the trees without permission of higher authorities. “He did it beyond my knowledge”. The sawn-off logs of the trees, kept for sale secretly, were later recovered from a saw mill at Katipara Bazar in Rarhuli union of the upazila, said freedom fighter Shahadat Hossain Bachchu, president of The P.C. Roy Smirity Shangrakkhon Committee. President of Acharya P.C. Roy Prachar Shangha Hare Krishna Roy said, at least 300 old mango and jackfruit trees were planted on the land owned by the lifelong bachelor scientist. The UNO has abused his official power openly by felling the trees, instead of preserving those for historical reason, he added. Contacted, the UNO said he felled the trees for doing 'some good work'. Asked about the good purpose, he refuted to elaborate and switched off his phone.
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