Incident of Tree Felling
Headmaster sues school's managing body chief
Logs of felled trees and marks of cutting on the trunks bear testimony to the mindless tree felling in the compound of Jouta-Olipura Government Primary School in Baufal upazila of Patuakhali. The chairman of the school managing committee has been sued for the illegal act. Photo: STAR
Headmaster of a school in Baufal upazila under the district has filed a complaint with Baufal police station against the chairman of the school managing committee (SMC) on charge of illegally felling trees on the school ground. Mamun Gazi, chairman of Jouta-Olipura Government Primary School, with the help of his men started cutting trees on the school ground on Friday, said Abdur Razzak, headmaster of the school, and police. A team of journalists from Baufal reached the area at noon and saw that a group of woodcutters already felled a rain tree and a chambole tree. They were preparing to cut eight more trees including seven rain trees and one chambole on the same ground. The woodcutters said Mamun Gazi employed them to cut the trees on daily wage basis. "Mamun Gazi started looting the trees, although we forbade him to do so," said Mojibur Rahman, local UP member. Asked about the matter, Mamun Gazi claimed that he took lease of the school ground from the SMC in 1999 for 60 years and then he planted those trees. He, however, did not reply when asked whether he had any lease document in favour of his claim. Headmaster Abdur Razzak said, "As the SMC chairman started cutting trees on the school ground illegally, I submitted a written complaint to the upazila education officer in this regard and following his advice, I filed a complaint with Baufal police station on Friday afternoon." Md Lutfor Rahman, Baufal upazila education officer, said, "Nobody arranged lease of the school ground, as it is a government property." "We have stopped cutting of trees on the school ground. We will take lawful action after proper investigation," Julfikar Md Gazzali, OC of Baufal police station, said.
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