Stop the illegal tree felling!

EDITORIAL

Forests endangered by loggers

In remote Diri Mro Para in Bandarban's Alikadam, a group has been cutting down trees illegally from a Village Common Forest (VCF), causing a serious water crisis for ethnic communities who depend on VCFs to conserve their water sources. The indiscriminate felling of trees also threatens the livelihood of locals, who fear they might have to leave their ancestral homes if the logging continues as that will leave them with no means to survive. 

They alleged that a couple of influential people managed to get local administration and forest officials to look the other way as their men felled trees illegally from the VCFs. When contacted, these men, however, claimed to have bought the trees from Diri Mro Para's village chief who dismissed the claim as false. Unfortunately, this has become a recurring problem across the Hill Tracts, as evidenced by media reports.

In the meanwhile, villagers who protested the illegal cutting down of trees were threatened with death by the loggers. What we would like to ask is, why haven't any action been taken against those responsible for the illegal tree felling and making death threats to those protesting the crime? Deforestation was already a problem in the area, which is why headman of each Mouza were instructed to conserve VCF forests by the government in the first place. Amidst the already severe deforestation crisis, the felling of trees by this criminal gang not only threatens nearby communities but the environment also. So why are the authorities responsible for protecting the environment not at all bothered?

Those tasked with conserving the environment must do better. We call on the authorities to immediately investigate the matter and bring an end to the illegal tree felling.

• Courtesy: The Daily Star / Oct 01, 2018