Tree felling fest on
Trader purchases 35 roadside dead trees on auction, cuts down 10 living ones besides those in Pabna
Labourers engaged by a timber trader saw a felled roadside mahogany tree into logs and cut down another one at Haripur in Chatmohar upazila of Pabna district. The photos were taken a few days ago. Photo: STAR
A timber trader with the connivance of an employee of Pabna Zila Parishad felled at least ten roadside mahogany trees illegally at Haripur in Chatmohar upazila of the district in the last seven days. The zila parishad recently auctioned 35 dead trees along Zonail-Haripur Road and local timber trader Md Sher Mahmud got those as the highest bidder. After getting permission to cut down the trees, he engaged labourers who started felling trees on Tuesday last. But Sher Mahmud with the help of zila parishad employee Md Ashraful Islam cut down eight roadside mahogany trees along with the dead trees at dead of night. The matter came to the notice of the local people on Thursday afternoon when the labourers of Sher Mahmud cut down two big mahogany trees in Haripur Bazar area. They prevented the labourers from felling both dead and living trees and informed the union parishad chairman of the matter. Being informed, Haripur UP Chairman Md Mokbul Hossain reached the spot and took the two felled trees to the union parishad complex. The chairman also stopped felling anymore roadside trees and informed the zila parishad administrator of the matter. Chairman Mokbul said the zila parishad issued work order to cut down 35 dead trees along Zonail-Haripur Road, but timber trader Md Sher Mahmud in collusion with zila parishad employee Md Ashraful Islam felled at least ten mahogany trees along with the dead ones. Sher Mahamud refuted the allegation, saying that he cut down dead trees along the road. He declined to say anything about felling of mahogany trees. Contacted, Pabna Zila Parishad Administrator Md Saidul Haque Chunnu said we gave permission to cut down 35 identified dead trees, but the trader felled some valuable trees roadside trees, violating rules. Zila parishad employee Asraful's involvement in the criminal act was found in the preliminary investigation and departmental action would be taken against him, the administrator said.
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