Sal forest shrinking fast

The Sal forest under Madhupur National Park in Tangail is disappearing at an alarming rate due to unabated tree felling and grabbing of land.

According to the Forest Department, the Sal forest -- scattered across several districts including Gazipur, Tangail, and Mymensingh -- has a total area of ​​1,21,000 hectares, around 2.4 percent of the country's forest area.

In Tangail, the Sal forest cover is the largest in Bangladesh. In 1925, it was spread across more than 1,22,876 acres of land in Madhupur, Sakhipur, Ghatail, Mirzapur, and Kalihati upazilas, of which 58,206 acres were part of the reserve forest.

It was once home to diverse flora and fauna -- including tigers, bears, peafowl, and langurs.

Meanwhile, vested groups tried to grab a large part of the natural forest for turning it into commercial fruit orchards. PHOTO: STAR

Over the years, the decimation of the natural forest has allegedly been going on right under the nose of the authorities concerned.

In fact, a section of unscrupulous forest officials and community forest workers are assisting those destroying the forest in exchange for unethical personal benefits, locals alleged.

Around 25,000 people, including those belonging to ethnic minority communities, live in 41 villages in the vicinity of the forest in Madhupur upazila.

"A section of foresters are helping vested groups to grab, clear, and turn a large part of the natural forest into commercial fruit orchards in the name of social afforestation," alleged Prince Edward Mangsang, a local resident.

Lawyer Jhon Jetra, a leader of the local Garo community, said compared to the extent of damage caused to the forest, the foresters' efforts are inadequate.

Meanwhile, hundreds of acres of the forest have been razed in at least 50 fire incidents in and around the forest in April and May this year. In most cases, miscreants set fire to the forest to collect firewood or to clear forest land for grabbing, locals alleged.

The Forest Department, however, blamed local population growth and their dependence on forest resources for their livelihoods as reasons for the forest destruction.

"Some locals are involved in tree felling and forest land grabbing. The forest guards find it difficult to take action against them with a limited workforce," said Abdul Hamid, ranger of Dokhala Range in Madhupur National Park.

Miscreants allegedly set fire to the forest to clear forest land for grabbing and collecting firewood. The photos were taken recently. PHOTO: STAR

Around 26,048 acres of the forest have been grabbed in Sakhipur upazila and around 19,861 acres in Madhupur, according to the Forest Department's data.

Around 26,048 acres of the forest have been grabbed in Sakhipur upazila and around 19,861 acres in Madhupur, according to Forest Department's data.

The office of the Divisional Forest Officer in Tangail revealed that around 21,000 acres of encroached forest land had been recovered through drives till December last year. The drives are continuing, according to officials.

At present, social afforestation is being done on around 30,000 acres of the forest land.

Meanwhile, several organisations, including Bangladesh Forest Industry Development Corporation, Bangladesh Forest Research Institute, Bangladesh Army, and Bangladesh Air Force, have been granted permission to use a total of 15,342 acres of the forest land for various purposes in Madhupur, Ghatail, and Sakhipur upazilas.

Now, the natural forest remains on less than 40,000 acres. Environmentalists, however, claim the amount of remaining natural forest is even less than 20,000 acres.

Prof Asm Saifullah, a teacher of environment science and resource management department at Mawlana Bhashani Science and Technology University, said the Sal forest sustained significant damage over the years and prompt measures are necessary to restore it.

Contacted, Sajjadur Rahman, DFO in Tangail, said they are doing their best to protect the forest despite having a limited workforce and logistics.

"Cases were filed to reclaim around 14,000 acres of grabbed forest lands and the process to recover the rest is on. We need support from all concerned to this end," he added.