Shariful Islam from Satkhira
Activists of the 18-party alliance, particularly Jamaat-Shibir men,
felled at least 2,500 trees for putting up barricades on different roads
and highways in the district during blockades from November 26 to
December 15, according to official statistics.
Local residents, however, claimed that the number of chopped down trees is much higher than the official estimate. The opposition men also took away most of the felled trees to their houses before the authorities removed those.
Witnesses said Jamaat-Shibir and BNP men during blockades cut down trees and put those up on roads and highways, cutting off the capital from many south-western districts.
Trees were felled every 50 to 100 yards on Satkhira-Khulna and Satkhira-Jessore highways, Satkhira-Kaliganj and Satkhira-Shyamnagar regional highways and almost all the roads connecting the seven upazilas with the Satkhira district headquarters.
The opposition men also blocked Satkhira- Asasuni, Kadamtola-Boikari, Madhabkathi-Ramerdanga, Itegachha-Khanpur, Satkhira-Bankdaho, and several other local roads by felling roadside trees.
The situation was so grave that people couldn't even go to local bazaars riding motorcycles and bicycles, said local residents.
Visiting the seven upazilas of the district, this correspondent found a trail of chopped down trees on roads. The mindless act of devastation finally came to a halt on December 15 when the joint forces launched a drive against unruly blockaders.
Mozammel Hossain, ranger of the Department of Forest in Satkhira, said they recovered 792 felled trees from different roads and highways of the district from November 26 to December 19, and took the trees to their office.
Members of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) removed at least 1,000 felled trees from the road stretching from Nalta in Kaliganj to Shyamnagar, Lt Col Anwarul Alam, commanding officer (CO) of BGB 34 Battalion, told The Daily Star. Besides, 38 BGB Battalion also removed around 700 felled trees.
The district parishad removed more than 100 such trees from roads, while the Roads and Highways Department cleared some 35 more.
LGED assistant engineer in Satkhira Faruq Hossain said the authorities were yet to make an estimate of how many trees had been felled on the LGED roads.
During blockades, police removed several hundred felled trees from roads, but they did not maintain any record of how many trees had been cleared, mentioned Joydeb Chowdhury, additional superintendent of Satkhira police.
Environmentalist Asheki Elahi, principal of Atorjan Women College in Shyamnagar, said felling of so many trees would adversely affect the environment as trees not only produce oxygen, but also provide shade and help keep the weather cool.
Shyamol Kumar Ghoshal of Agardari village said many innocent people have been implicated in numerous cases in connection with the felling of trees.
“I know my neighbour Shamsur Rahman, who was killed recently when police opened fire on a group of Jamaat-Shibir men while blocking a road. He was not involved in Jamaat politics. He went against the Awami League after he was implicated in a case for felling trees,” he added.
He urged the authorities to investigate the cases immediately and relieve innocent people of the cases.
The BNP-led 18-party opposition alliance has been pressing for a non-party election-time government to oversee the next general election.
(Our Satkhira correspondent contributed to this report)
Roadside
trees cut down in Debhata upazila of Satkhira. To snap communications,
pickets have put up barricades on roads and highways mostly with logs
after felling trees during opposition blockades. The photo was taken
yesterday. Photo: Star
Local residents, however, claimed that the number of chopped down trees is much higher than the official estimate. The opposition men also took away most of the felled trees to their houses before the authorities removed those.
Witnesses said Jamaat-Shibir and BNP men during blockades cut down trees and put those up on roads and highways, cutting off the capital from many south-western districts.
Trees were felled every 50 to 100 yards on Satkhira-Khulna and Satkhira-Jessore highways, Satkhira-Kaliganj and Satkhira-Shyamnagar regional highways and almost all the roads connecting the seven upazilas with the Satkhira district headquarters.
The opposition men also blocked Satkhira- Asasuni, Kadamtola-Boikari, Madhabkathi-Ramerdanga, Itegachha-Khanpur, Satkhira-Bankdaho, and several other local roads by felling roadside trees.
The situation was so grave that people couldn't even go to local bazaars riding motorcycles and bicycles, said local residents.
Visiting the seven upazilas of the district, this correspondent found a trail of chopped down trees on roads. The mindless act of devastation finally came to a halt on December 15 when the joint forces launched a drive against unruly blockaders.
Mozammel Hossain, ranger of the Department of Forest in Satkhira, said they recovered 792 felled trees from different roads and highways of the district from November 26 to December 19, and took the trees to their office.
Members of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) removed at least 1,000 felled trees from the road stretching from Nalta in Kaliganj to Shyamnagar, Lt Col Anwarul Alam, commanding officer (CO) of BGB 34 Battalion, told The Daily Star. Besides, 38 BGB Battalion also removed around 700 felled trees.
The district parishad removed more than 100 such trees from roads, while the Roads and Highways Department cleared some 35 more.
LGED assistant engineer in Satkhira Faruq Hossain said the authorities were yet to make an estimate of how many trees had been felled on the LGED roads.
During blockades, police removed several hundred felled trees from roads, but they did not maintain any record of how many trees had been cleared, mentioned Joydeb Chowdhury, additional superintendent of Satkhira police.
Environmentalist Asheki Elahi, principal of Atorjan Women College in Shyamnagar, said felling of so many trees would adversely affect the environment as trees not only produce oxygen, but also provide shade and help keep the weather cool.
Shyamol Kumar Ghoshal of Agardari village said many innocent people have been implicated in numerous cases in connection with the felling of trees.
“I know my neighbour Shamsur Rahman, who was killed recently when police opened fire on a group of Jamaat-Shibir men while blocking a road. He was not involved in Jamaat politics. He went against the Awami League after he was implicated in a case for felling trees,” he added.
He urged the authorities to investigate the cases immediately and relieve innocent people of the cases.
The BNP-led 18-party opposition alliance has been pressing for a non-party election-time government to oversee the next general election.
(Our Satkhira correspondent contributed to this report)
Published: 12:00 am Wednesday, December 25, 2013
