The Haringhata reserve forest in Barguna's Patharghata upazila is facing a deforestation threat as locals are sneaking into the forest to cut down kewra trees illegally.

Covering an area of 200 hectares, the forest sits at the edge of the Bay of Bengal and is home to kewra, gewa, sundari, and jhau (tamarisk) trees.

Initially, some locals would enter the forest just to collect the kewra fruit, and the forest department did not have any objection. However, those trees bore a lot of fruit this season, and some local groups started cutting down the trees to make the fruit collection process more convenient and to collect seeds and timber as well.

Recently, a group of 20-25 people was seen collecting kewra fruit deep inside the forest and cutting down the trees as well. After this correspondent confronted them, the group tried to run away.

Photo: Sohrab Hossain/Star

Abdul Haque, said they make a living by collecting and selling kewra fruit and fishing in the sea and local rivers.

He claimed that he had taken verbal permission to collect kewra fruit after paying the Forest Department. However, he refused to disclose how much he paid for the permission.

Even though the group was caught in the act and several tree trunks lay on the ground, Abdul Haque denied that they ever cut down trees for fruit collection.

Locals claimed that hundreds of maunds of fruit were also being collected by certain local groups every day from the upazila's Tengra, Mejher Char, Char Lathimara, and Bihango Dwip areas.

Photo: Sohrab Hossain/Star

If action is not taken immediately, the trees will also be felled, they said.

Meanwhile, local environmentalists formed a human chain to demand an end to such deforestation.

Environmental researcher and journalist Shafiqul Islam Khokon said, "Just like the Sundarbans protect people from storms and floods, the coastal forests of Patharghata protect us. But some gangs are cutting and destroying forest trees, which will increase the level of natural disasters in the near future."

Forest Department's Patharghata range officer and Haringhata area beat officer, Md Abul Kalam, said, "Due to our manpower crisis, we cannot bring these perpetrators to book. We didn't give permission to collect kewra fruit in the reserved forest, and we have already filed a case under the Forest Act against four people on the charge of cutting trees."

Photo: Sohrab Hossain/Star

Barguna Deputy Commissioner Muhammad Rafiqul Islam said action will be taken after an inquiry.

Regarding the importance of kewra fruit, Patuakhali Sadar Upazila Forest Officer Nayan Mistry said kewra leaves are thin, fig-shaped, and sour in taste, so they can be eaten with salt.

Many earn their living by making pickles and chutneys with kewra fruit and selling them in the village market. Also, when this fruit rots, fishermen use it as bait, he added.