Allegations of fresh tree theft have surfaced at Satchari National Park in Chunarughat Upazila of Habiganj, where a syndicate reportedly cut and removed 20 to 25 trees from inside the protected forest under cover of darkness.
After the matter came to light, Assistant Conservator of Forests Mirza Mehedi Sarwar, representing the divisional forest officer, visited the site on 18 May afternoon.
Earlier, a case was filed with Chunarughat Police Station on the night of 17 May over the theft of trees from the national park.
Local sources said the 243-hectare Satchari National Park is one of the country’s important protected forest areas.
The forest was declared a national park in 2005.
Located near the Tripura border of India, the forest takes its name from seven natural streams that run through the area.
The park is home to rare wildlife, including hoolock gibbons, capped langurs, barking deer and pangolins.
Century-old teak, garjan, chapalish, koroi and various medicinal trees have long shaped the forest’s rich biodiversity and natural beauty.
But locals allege that an organised syndicate has been active in stealing trees from the forest for years.
During a visit to the Dumurtala area of the park, the stumps of two massive century-old teak trees were found after the trees had been cut and taken away.
Sawdust and thick tree bases were still visible at the site.
Further towards the south-east, two more trees of similar size were found cut.
A walk through nearly one kilometre of the forest revealed many more stumps, silently showing the scale of the destruction.
At least 25 to 30 felled trees could be found if the whole forest was searched properly, a local resident said, requesting anonymity.
“Those trees were cut in just two to three days,” he said.
“Many trees were also removed earlier, and old roots are still visible in different parts of the forest,” he added.
Locals alleged that the syndicate includes not only timber thieves but also some dishonest forest staff, influential political figures and some members of law enforcement agencies.
They said years of illegal tree felling have damaged the forest’s natural character and ecological balance.
Several residents said the forest could not be stripped of such large trees without protection from powerful people.
“Everyone is working together to destroy the forest,” one resident said.
“If not, it would not be possible to cut and remove such big trees,” he added.
Locals said similar incidents of tree theft had occurred earlier in Satchari National Park, but no visible strict action was taken after those incidents.
The absence of effective action has made the forest looting syndicate more reckless, they said.
Habiganj Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon General Secretary Tofazzal Sohel said cutting a large tree does not only mean losing a tree.
“It also destroys the habitat of many animals, shelter for birds, soil moisture and the ecological balance of the forest,” he said.
“If tree felling continues like the way it is happening now, Satchari’s biodiversity will face a serious threat,” he added.
Forest destruction will also intensify the impact of climate change, reduce rainfall, increase soil erosion and push many wild species towards extinction, he said.
Satchari Range Officer in Charge Mehedi Hasan said two teak trees had been stolen from the park.
“A case has been filed with the police station over the incident,” he said.
“Police have been able to identify some of those who may have been involved,” he added.
Divisional Forest Officer Abul Kalam said he was attending government training and had not yet been formally informed about the matter.
Legal action will be taken after an investigation, he said.
Chunarughat Upazila Nirbahi Officer Galib Chowdhury said the district administration had been informed after the matter came to his notice.
“The forest department has carried out an investigation, and necessary action will now be taken,” he said.
