Illegal logging, poaching put CHT wildlife at stake


Rangamati, 12, 2007: Wild animals and birds are on the verge of extinction in Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) as poaching and illegal logging are going on unabated under the nose of the administration and the forest department.

Many predators have long been selling different types of wild animals and their meat, including deer, at the local markets in the three hill districts.

Unscrupulous people with the help of a section of dishonest officials at forest department and local administrations, have damaged Pablakhali Reserve Forest, Hazarikhil Reserve Forest and Chunati Reserve Forest, safe sanctuaries of over 40 kinds of wild animals and 125 species of birds, to a great extent, sources said.

Most of these wild animals and birds are in great danger losing their natural habitats.

Due to negligence of forest departments, the safe haven of wild elephant, cheetah, monkey, deer, bear, wild hog, wild hen, wild duck and birds has turned into a dangerous place as the protectors of the forests appeared as the predators in recent times, said environmentalists.

Besides killing and trafficking in wildlife, at least 150 truckloads of illegal wood find their way to over 140 brick fields and timber markets in Khagrachhari, Rangamati, Bandarban and Chittagong districts to make the matter worse, they said.

Plundering of forest trees are going on unabated at least at 140 sites in eight upazilas of the CHT. Of them, 55 sites are located in Rangamati, 48 in Khagrachhari and 37 in Bandarban. Besides, the dishonest timber traders, in connivance with a section of forest officials, collect woods and fire-woods and supply those to brick fields in three hill districts and Chittagong.

Mong Ching Marma, a timber trader from Guimara under Ramgarh upazila, said he, like many others, is engaged in felling trees at forests, including reserve ones, almost regularly.

Abdul Jalil, another trader in Merung area in Dighinala, said more then 140 truckloads of illegal timber leave the CHT forests daily without any obstruction from the forest department men.

He said these timbers and wood are sold to brickfields or traders. The timbers include Kona, Mehagoni, Rubber, Karoi, Chapalish, Akashi, Goda, Shal, Tick (Segun) and Jarul. One truckload of such timber is sold at Tk 30,000 to Tk 40,000, he said.

Pradip Chowdhury, programme supervisor of Centre for Sustainable Development (CFSD), said the CHT forests are disappearing as unscrupulous people log timbers with the help of a section of dishonest forest department officials. As a result, the wildlife of the forests are on the verge of extinction since they are losing their habitats day by day.

Abu Daud Muhammad, member of Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (BELA), said they have filed several general diaries with different police stations in the CHT to protect wildlife, forest and the environment without any positive response in this regard as yet.

Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Shah-e-Alam, refuting the allegations, said he has never seen sale of meat of wild animals or birds in the local markets. He, however, blamed journalists for making 'concocted' stories in this regard.