Government-funded digging is under way on the Nadiarchand canal in Boalmari, Faridpur, to keep its water flowing. But this development work has now become a disaster for the thousands of trees on its two banks.

It is alleged that, with the direct backing of responsible officials, trees on both sides of the canal from Naderchand bazar to the sluice gate in the upazila's Gunbaha union are being cut down openly, in what amounts to a festival of plunder. Locals say the canal could easily have been dug without cutting the trees. The union parishad chairman, a BNP leader, and forest department officials are blaming each other.

Inquiries show that the Faridpur forest department planted about 10,000 trees beside the canal under its social forestry programme, overseen by the Nadiarchand Social Forestry Management Committee. The administration recently allowed damaged trees to be cut and deposited with the forest department. Taking advantage of this, the forestry committee itself is accused of cutting more than 300 trees and effectively looting them.

Under the rules, the main trunks of felled trees are supposed to be deposited at the forest department's nursery. But although hundreds of trees were cut in five days, only five have reached the nursery; there is no trace of the rest.

On the other bank, locals are cutting and carrying away trees, claiming them as private property. Concerned citizens in Faridpur are angry at the administration's mysterious silence over protecting the environment and lakhs of taka worth of public property, and affected residents want a quick investigation and action against the syndicate.

On the ground, trees of all sizes, including raintree, latim, mango and mahogany, were being cut with machetes, axes, spades, power saws and hand saws at several spots along the canal, which is several kilometres long. After felling, the stumps and roots were dug out and covered with earth. Trunks and branches were being carried off elsewhere on auto-vans and nosimons (locally made carts), on the pretext of taking them to the forest office.

Md Goffar Molla of Umar Nagar village in Gunbaha union told Jago News: "They could have dug the canal without cutting the trees on both sides. The trees are 15–20 years old. Even if soil had been dumped beside them, the trees would have survived and given shade, which would have benefited the country. They are using the canal digging as a chance to finish off the trees on both sides."

Hosne Ara, wife of Saheb Sheikh of Baguan village, said: "It's government land; they've started digging a government canal. That's why people are looting. Lots of trees have been cut. I see people taking them away in vehicles."

Monirul Islam, a labourer from Gurdia village, said: "The canal could have been dug while keeping the trees. But we don't know about this, because we are labourers. Those whose land it is and whoever is buying will know."

Robiul Islam, another labourer from Muktarpur village, said: "As far as we can see, the trees are on government land. And the excavator digging the soil doesn't have a problem with the trees; the canal can be dug."

Social worker Sumon Rafi of Cholna village in Boalmari said most of the fruit and timber trees on both sides were recently being cut in the name of canal digging. "Along with the forest department, I myself planted a number of trees in 2012–13. Small trees are being cut along with the big ones, which is a threat to the environment. If this goes on, nobody will plant trees again. The administration should look into the matter and take the necessary action."

Md Nannu Sheikh, a member of the Nadiarchand Social Forestry Management Committee, said: "During the canal digging the excavator often breaks trees. The chairman of our Gunbaha union, the UNO and the Boalmari forest officer came and told us to cut the ones that break or get in the way."

Committee president Hemayet Molla said: "We planted the trees on the WAPDA embankment with the forest department's permission. The canal is being dug with an excavator, and the trees were causing problems during digging. The forest department was told, and it informed the UNO. The UNO and the forest department came, and our Gunbaha union parishad chairman Sirajul Islam was also there. They instructed that the lower trees in the way should be cut and sent to the forest department's office, and that the branches should be sold and the money shared among the beneficiaries to cover costs."

Advocate Sirajul Islam, president of the Boalmari upazila BNP and chairman of the Gunbaha union parishad, said: "There were some small trees that had fallen; they could have cut those. But in cutting them they are also cutting big trees. That was not right. They cut the big trees and are trying to put the blame on the BNP, that is, on us. Neither the BNP nor I as chairman am involved. I think the responsibility lies solely with the forest department, and they are trying to shift their fault onto us. In fact, the masterminds of this tree felling are the forest department officials. The trees were cut in their presence and are in their custody."

Probir Kanti Bala, general secretary of the Faridpur Nagorik Committee, said: "Needless tree felling under cover of canal digging is not acceptable. If this is really so, it is very sad. We expect the administration to take effective steps to stop such environmental destruction in the name of development and this open looting of public property."

Tawhid Hossain, assistant conservator of forests in Faridpur, said: "The canal digging contractor is Sirajul Islam, chairman of Gunbaha union and president of the upazila BNP. He started cutting trees at first without telling us. When we found out, we stopped the cutting. Later, on the instructions of the upazila nirbahi officer, permission was given to cut certain trees. Trees are as useful as canals. We do not want the trees cut."

Boalmari upazila nirbahi officer (UNO) S M Rakibul Hasan said: "There is no scope for ordering trees to be cut. Since the trees are on government land, there is no scope to take them away either. An investigation committee will be formed. After investigating on the spot, we will take the necessary action according to how many trees were cut and whether any were cut beyond what was needed."

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.