How long before the environmental pledges are honoured?
Words alone cannot express our frustration over the relentless destruction of forests, rivers, and hills. Despite repeated appeals from environmentalists, the devastation continues unchecked, even when there is a so-called pro-environment government in place. Illegal logging and encroachment by powerful quarters have already erased or degraded many of our natural and reserve forests over the past decades. Among them are the forests of Durgapur and Kalmakanda upazilas in Netrakona—adjacent to the Garo Hills of Mymensingh—that have long been plundered right under the nose of local authorities.
A recent report by this daily paints a grim picture of these forests. It cites local residents who allege that the authorities have not only turned a blind eye to illegal logging and encroachment but, in some cases, forest officials have themselves colluded with those responsible. These once-thriving ecosystems—home to over 100 wild species, including elephants, tigers, leopards, deer, and hanuman langurs, and rich with indigenous trees like Segun, Gazari, Sal, Jarul, and Shirish—have now been reduced to mere shadows of their former selves. The introduction of harmful exotic species in the forests has worsened the problem. Human-elephant conflicts, driven by habitat destruction, have also intensified.
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This pattern of deforestation is not new. Over the years, many forests have been cleared not just by unscrupulous individuals but also by government agencies—for housing projects, football training centres, roads, etc. Data from the Divisional Forest Office in Mymensingh reveals a dramatic decline in forest cover across the division, including parts of Jamalpur, Sherpur, and Netrakona. Once spanning over 71,000 acres, including 38,911 acres of reserved forest, Mymensingh alone has lost 24,895 acres to encroachment in the past three decades. This is deeply concerning.
If deforestation continues at this pace, we will soon have too little forestland left to sustain the ecological balance necessary for our survival. Moreover, we risk failing to meet our commitment to halt deforestation by 2030 under the Glasgow Leaders' Declaration on Forests and Land Use. The fast-worsening climate crisis will only magnify the consequences of this neglect.
We, therefore, urge the interim government to take decisive steps to stop illegal logging and encroachment and to restore our forest ecosystems. Since taking office, Environment, Forest, and Climate Change Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan has made numerous pledges about environmental protection. It's time to turn those promises into action.
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