Chittagong Hill Tracts South Forest Division has been playing a significant role in stopping illegal timber trade and earning government revenue in Rangamati district over the past one and a half years. The concerned authority has continued drives against illicit timber business, unscrupulous and dishonest timber merchants.
Sources from Rangamati sadar range of CHT South Forest Division said, a total of 21793.29 cubic feet of different stolen timber worth about Tk 3 crores was seized during drives in Rangamati. Some 260 cases were filed under forest act against persons involved in stealing timber. Among them, 82 cases were dissolved and many were given punishments in different terms in 63 cases.
In a sensational forest case, Md. Nasir Uddin, a vice chairman of Kaptai upazila and also president of Kaptai upazila Juba League unit, was sentenced to 3 years rigorous imprisonment by the court and another named Nafar Ali for two years in a case for grabbing land of forest department.
Moreover, different types of transport vehicles, which were carrying stolen timber including truck, mini truck, pick up and local engine boats were seized from various points of the district, said sources.
In last 2018-2019 fiscal year, some 12937.09 cft worth around Tk 2 crore of teak, gamar, karoi and Goda were seized and 57 cases were lodged. In the current financial year, some 8856.20 cft was seized and 31 cases were filed in the last eight months up to February, said South sadar range office.
“Timber is being stolen at different points both in river route and by road. Basically, we conduct drive through our regular mobile patrol team and on the basis of information,” said Md. Rafiquzzaman Shah, divisional forest officer of South Forest Division in Rangamati.
We applying zero tolerance to prevent illicit timber trade and a directive was given at field level in this regard as well, he said, adding that illegal logging and felling of tress has been almost stopped in the district.
Conducting drive against illegal logging is a continuous process. Our authorities are very much alert on illegal timber trade and several mobile teams from our sadar range office have been working very actively to prevent it since my joining, said Md. Mosharof Hossain, sadar range officer of CHT South Forest Division. Upon instruction from our DFO, drives were lunched by ranger Mosharof Hossain in the district.