A plan to cut down around 4,500 trees along the Sunamganj–Sachnabazar road has triggered protests and raised questions over the justification for the move, with the Roads and Highways Department (RHD) saying it has no ongoing project to widen the road.
The Forest Department has said the trees are being felled as the road from Sunamganj to Sachnabazar will be expanded. However, the RHD said it currently has no project for widening the stretch from Tuker Bazar to Sachna.
Environmental activists staged a protest on Saturday demanding an immediate halt to the tree felling, alleging that the road expansion claim was being used as a pretext to cut down valuable trees.
The protest was organised by the environmental group Haor and River Protection Movement, with social forestry beneficiaries and local environmental activists also joining the demonstration.
The organisation’s General Secretary Obaidul Haque Milan alleged that more than 1,000 trees had already been cut down. He claimed the trees were sold for only Tk84 lakh, putting the average price of each tree at just over Tk1,800, while similar trees would cost Tk25,000 to Tk40,000 in the local market.
“The opportunity of road expansion is being used to cut trees. A syndicate is buying these trees at nominal prices, causing both financial and environmental losses,” Milan said.
He demanded an immediate stop to the felling, identification of those involved and legal action against them.
Local residents said a similar attempt was made nearly two years ago to cut trees along the same road, but the move was halted following protests by locals and environmental groups.
The protesters demanded that social forestry beneficiaries receive their due share of proceeds, an impartial investigation into the tree felling and plantation of double the number of trees along the road as compensation for those removed.
They also issued a 24-hour ultimatum, warning that they would stage a sit-in outside the Forest Department office if tree cutting was not stopped.
Sunamganj Forest Department Range Officer Riaz Uddin said the entire road from Sunamganj to Sachnabazar would be expanded, requiring the removal of trees.
“Buyers of the tree lots have already deposited money and received work orders. Tree felling is continuing,” he said.
However, RHD Sunamganj Sub-Divisional Engineer Md Sajedur Rahman said the department had no ongoing project for the Tuker Bazar–Sachna road.
“We have no involvement with the tree cutting as there is currently no project under the Roads and Highways Department for this stretch,” he said.
