Rampant land grabbing by local influential people is now threatening the very existence of tropical rain forest at Muchikandi eastern hill forest (Purba Pahar) along the Rema-Kalennga reserve forest and wilderness zone in Chunarughat upazila under Habiganj district. The land is being ruthlessly stripped of the forest to set up rubber and tea gardens.
It is known to us that the government had developed the forest to protect people from the scourge of natural disasters. A project named `Muchikandi Social Afforestation' rehabilitated thousands of vulnerable landless people of the country. Since then, a whopping amount of money has been spent on the project. But a company somehow got lease of about 1,381 acres of land and is trying to set up an agro-based company there. The district administration leased a part of the land to the company on a long-term basis. It did not consider forest conservation and rehabilitation of 30,000 inhabitants of 12 villages of the forest area.
But, this situation, if it goes on, will turn many people homeless. The Forest Department will not be able to protect the forest due to leasing of forest land to the commercial company. So, the inhabitants of Chunarughat as well as the country need to protest plunder of the forest as it will affect socio- economic environment of the locality.
By now, Bangladesh is known as one of the countries most vulnerable to climate change. The country now has around 10 per cent forest areas, which is far below the minimum level of 25 per cent of the total land area. But none appears to be concerned about this.
It is now high time for political leaders, experts and members of the public to work for conserving our forests so that we can make the country a better place, environmentally, to live in. The authorities should stop destruction of the Muchikandi Social Forestation Project.
russel_chandana@yahoo.com
Let\\\'s stop destruction of forests
Asraful Islam | Published: July 09, 2014 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2024 06:01:00
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