Reserve forest or a village?
Piles of hay serving as cattle fodder, tin-shed houses and children at play -- this correspondent observed everything except mangrove trees in a recent visit to parts of the Barguna Patharghata mangrove forest.
Rampant tree felling and excavation of ponds have turned a section of the reserved forest into a pseudo-village, where wildlife is notably absent.
As an illegal human settlement remains in progress, the forest stays on deathbed due to greed of men.
Locals are setting up their habitats in Charlathimara and Badurtala areas of the forest, endangering its wildlife and ecosystem.
Around 3,019 acres of these two areas were recognised as reserve forests in 1986.
The place is a sanctuary for about 30 different animal species, including crabs, turtles, deer, monkeys, and boars.
Meanwhile, locals say they are merely reclaiming what is rightfully theirs, which is not illegal.
In 1989-90, around 53 landless families were allocated 40 acres within this forest for settlement by the then deputy commissioner Harendranath Howladar.
Since then, they have taken possession of 19 acres of land in different phases over the years. Now they are taking over the remaining 21 acres.
However, Abdul Hai, forest department beat officer at Charlathimara, said since 21 acres of the provided land remained unoccupied, the forest department cancelled the agreement and declared it a reserve forest area. Despite this, some are now trying to forcibly occupy the forest, he said.
The rampant tree felling and land grabbing had been going on for the previous two weeks, according to witnesses.
One Nurul Islam Pyada said several locals, including one Delwar Hossain and his son, have occupied a huge portion of the forest by felling trees.
Babul Howladar, another local, claimed the encroachers are working together by managing the people of the forest department. At least 10 other locals, this correspondent talked to, echoed the same.
However, beat officer Abdul Hai denied such allegations. "We are not at fault. We have a lack of manpower, and it is impossible to protect the huge forest area with small manpower," he said.
The forest department also claimed that they are unable to do anything to stop the encroachment as they are afraid of facing attacks from the local encroachers.
Meanwhile, the alleged encroachers could not be reached for direct comments, as when a few journalists went there, the occupants fled the scene, sensing their presence.
The encroachers started occupying the remaining 21 acres of land for the first time in 2013, when they cut down about 20,000 trees in the reserved forest and built houses with the help of local influential persons.
Even forest officials were attacked at the time when they tried intervening.
Following that, the forest department filed a case against 53, but the district judge issued a stay order in this regard.
Alamgir Hossain, chairman of Patharghata Union Parishad, said he has heard of the encroachment and will take action after getting more information.
Journalist and environmental activist Shafiqul Islam Khokon said the reserved forest is the protector of the coastal area. If this forest gets destroyed, the environment and biodiversity will be threatened.
Contacted, Patharghata UNO Md Roknuzzaman Khan said he had received complaints of deforestation against three people.
As it is an offense under the Forest Act, the matter has been referred to the higher authority of the Forest Department, he added.
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