A section of Tulatoli Reserve Forest under Chunati range of Chattogram South Forest Division is being razed illegally to construct structures including houses.

Grabbers have already cleared around 300 square feet of the forest by cutting a chunk of hill and felling around 30 trees, which are all punishable offences under the Forest Act-1927.

According to the Forest Department, the 2,394 acres of Tulatoli Reserve Forest is home to many species of plants including Shegun, Ghamari, Mahogany and wildlife including elephants, peafowls.

These plots were recorded as reserve forest in a gazette issued in 1931, as per the documents of the department.

Upon finding evidence of razing the reserve forest illegally, officials of the forest department filed a case accusing four persons under the Forest Act-1927.

Photo: Star

"On information, we conducted drive and seized some machineries which were being used for forest destruction. However, we failed to arrest anyone from the spot as the grabbers managed to flee," said Md Shah Alam, forest officer of Satgar area under the Chunati range.

"Besides, we sued four for entering the reserve forest without permission and illegally razing the forest for constructing houses," he added.

According to the Forest Act-1927, the punishment for both crimes is up to six months of imprisonment or Tk 5,000 fine, or both for the first time.

A local, requesting anonymity, alleged that a woman named Bulu Barua and her family members have been destroying the reserve forest for the past one year, and are now cutting hills and felling trees to build houses under the nose of the administration.

The Forest Department is yet to take any legal action against them, said locals.

Contacted, Bulu Barua admitted to razing forest for constructing houses, saying, "We are forced to stay in the forest as we have no land in the levelled area to build a home."

Abdullah Al Mamun, divisional forest officer of the Chattogram South Forest Division, said, "We have decided to form a committee to investigate whether any forest department staffer is involved in the forest destruction. If anyone is found to be involved, we will take action against them."

Mohammad Kamal Hossain, former professor of Institute of Forestry and Environmental Science at Chittagong University, said, "If encroachers start establishing settlements in reserve forest, the greenery will be destroyed gradually. Forest Department should take strict action against encroachers to save the forest."