We are alarmed by the reckless actions of the Water Development Board (WDB) in felling thousands of trees to collect soil for building an embankment in Khulna's Koyra upazila. Reportedly, around 50,000 trees have been cut down over the past eight months along the banks of the Kopotakkho, Shakbariya, and Koyra rivers. These trees have long served as a crucial natural barrier, protecting local communities from natural calamities. Their destruction now leaves the entire area vulnerable to heightened risks. The question is, was the WDB unaware of this, or did they choose to ignore the consequences?

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Nothing justifies destroying a forest

Over the years, we have witnessed such large-scale destructions of trees and forests in the name of development. This is despite a nationally set target to increase forest cover by 20 percent by 2030, which was often neglected under the previous government. We have seen how government institutions themselves have been granted forest land for development projects, further eroding our green cover. Our coastal regions, in particular, have borne the brunt of excesses by forest grabbers. One may recall, for example, how Jhau forests in Cox's Bazar were cut down by officials and unscrupulous businessmen. Now, the WDB is following suit in Khulna's Koyra upazila, felling naturally grown trees for their project. This blatant disregard for environmental protection is simply unacceptable.

The WDB, in its defence, is trying to shift blame to the local population, but locals insist that WDB officials directed them to cut the trees. They say that the required soil could have been sourced from nearby areas without touching the trees, suggesting a nefarious motive behind the WDB action. According to an official, an agreement worth Tk 2 crore has been signed with the forest department for reforestation after the embankment's completion, but this does not justify such indiscriminate destruction in the first place.

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Who wants a piece of forest?

We must say that, having witnessed such anti-environment practices under the previous regime, we expect a significant policy shift under the interim government. With seasoned environmentalist Syeda Rizwana Hasan serving as the adviser to the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change, there is hope for meaningful change. The adviser has pledged to take decisive action against those who destroy our environment. It is time to put these promises into action. The government must halt the onslaught, including by its own people, on our fast-depleting natural resources.