The Forest Department has filed two cases against 62 people, including leaders of the BNP and its student wing Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD), over alleged illegal tree felling and timber theft in the protected forests of Satchari National Park and Rema-Kalenga Wildlife Sanctuary in Chunarughat upazila.
The cases were filed with Chunarughat Police Station on Tuesday following instructions from the Prime Minister’s Office, police said.
Satchari Wildlife Range Officer Md Mobarak Hossain and Rema-Kalenga Range Officer HM Ershad filed the cases as complainants. Of the accused, 20 were named in the case over tree felling and theft at Satchari National Park, while 42 were accused of stealing and selling timber from Rema-Kalenga Wildlife Sanctuary.
The cases were filed based on a confidential intelligence report that identified people allegedly involved in a syndicate engaged in tree theft and timber trading in the protected forests.
Earlier, on 21 July, the Prime Minister’s Office instructed the relevant authorities to take action against those allegedly involved.
According to case documents, trees were illegally felled and stolen from the protected forest of Satchari National Park between 12 January and 15 May last year. The FIR said the intelligence report found the involvement of 20 people, including Chunarughat upazila JCD Member Secretary Maruf Mia.
Among the other accused in the Satchari case are Shafiqul Islam Abul, president of the Satchari Park Co-Management Committee and a BNP leader of Shahjahanpur union in Madhabpur upazila; Shafik Mia Mahaldar, senior joint convener of Chunarughat upazila Jubo Dal; Jahangir Khan, joint convener of the upazila Sramik Dal; and Karim Sarker, organising secretary of the upazila BNP.
Several timber traders, including Munaem, Kala Mia, Abdul Quddus, Jasim, Tahir Mia, Abdul Jalil Mia, Rafiq Mia, Helal Mia and Mokbul Mia, have also been accused.
The second case concerns alleged illegal tree felling and theft at Rema-Kalenga Wildlife Sanctuary between 1 January 2024 and 30 June this year.
The accused include residents of several villages in the area, according to the case documents.
Maruf Mia denied the allegations, saying he had been implicated out of political vendetta.
“I am not involved in tree theft. We had organised a human chain protest against former range officer Ashik Mia. As a result, Ashik had the case filed against us,” he said.
Shafiqul Islam Abul also denied the allegations, saying he had been working to protect wildlife and had spent money from his own pocket for the purpose.
“A group has become angry with me because I had shops and illegal structures removed from Satchari. I have no involvement in tree theft or timber trading,” he said.
Satchari Wildlife Range Officer Md Mobarak Hossain said the cases were filed based on the confidential report following instructions from the Prime Minister’s Office and the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
“The accused have allegedly been illegally cutting trees for a long time and damaging the protected forest,” he said.
Chunarughat Police Station Officer-in-Charge Md Saiful Islam confirmed the filing of the two cases. “Sixty-two people have been accused in the two cases. Legal action will be taken against them,” he said.
