Kafi Khan, Mymensingh :
The existence of naturally-born ‘shal’ and ‘gajari’ forests in Madhupur region of Mymensingh and Tangail districts have been threatened.
In the meantime, the area of Mymensingh fell into a crisis in the Gajari forest although some trees have survived in the protected areas but most of the gajari trees have become empty.
This condition has been created due to the untimely tree cutting by an organised gang. Forest land has become occupied by banana gardens and other crops are being cultivated in reserved forest. Fisheries are being cultivated somewhere . Due to manpower crisis, it is not possible to take any effective action from the Forest Department, officials said
It is learnt that Madhupur forests have been set up on 45,000 acres of land in Muktagacha, Phulbaria and Tangail of Mymensingh and Madhupur upazila of Tangail. The total spread of this mean is 4,244 square kilometers. 50 years ago, the main attraction of this forest was the shal and gajari tree. This is why the forest is named after Shalban. But due to cutting of shal trees illegally, now the actual size has come to 10 thousand 500 acres. The rest of the part is used for occupation and other purposes. More than 20 years ago, a large shal and gajari tree were found in the Madhupur forest. It is known that Salalban was located on 17,000 acres of land in Muktagachha upazila adjacent to Tangail-Mymensingh road. Meanwhile, Rasulpur ranges in Banschara of Jamalpur, Santoshpur in Fulbaria of Mymensingh, Rasulpur Sadar of Muktagacha, Khajulia, Halida and Chalura split.
Ten years ago there were a lot of other trees including shal and gajari. Now there are other crops including lemon gardens, banana garden, fisheries, brickwork etc. In addition, many acres of land in the forest are now empty fields. The influential people are building houses in these areas, fisheries and agro farms. Some areas have been occupied in the name of Social Forest Department. Of the 17 thousand acres of forest in the Rasulpur forest, now only five thousand acres. Among them, there is a small area of Gajari gardens in Sultanpur, Phulbaria, Muktagacha,Salura and Rasulpur Sadar bits, but there is no mention of Gajaria forest in Bamchhara and Khajulia. The whole forest is empty now. Land of forest in two areas has been occupied.
As a result there is no bit office in those areas. Where there are some forests, there can be organised wood thieves. They are carrying bigger ones and axes from the woods, cutting the skyline of Gajari and Woodlot gardens, or carrying vehicles. Locals complained that many brick fields were developed outside of the forest within 10 kilometers of the forest. These bricks are used as ladders, forest shal and gajari trees. Although there are some officers and forest officials appointed to look for forests. They are not in the forest, and even though in the forest do not go out of the office. The forest department has taken responsibility only on the case.
The forest thieves are cutting trees in this opportunity. Meanwhile, there are only a few ‘gajari’ trees in Muktagacha and Phulbaria upazilas of Mymensingh district. The remaining part of the forest land is also being occupied. However, forest department claims that they do not have the necessary manpower. Riyazul Matin, Madhupur National Park headquarters officer, said,
“There are only two forest offices. It is not possible to sustain forest with two protectors.
The existence of naturally-born ‘shal’ and ‘gajari’ forests in Madhupur region of Mymensingh and Tangail districts have been threatened.
In the meantime, the area of Mymensingh fell into a crisis in the Gajari forest although some trees have survived in the protected areas but most of the gajari trees have become empty.
This condition has been created due to the untimely tree cutting by an organised gang. Forest land has become occupied by banana gardens and other crops are being cultivated in reserved forest. Fisheries are being cultivated somewhere . Due to manpower crisis, it is not possible to take any effective action from the Forest Department, officials said
It is learnt that Madhupur forests have been set up on 45,000 acres of land in Muktagacha, Phulbaria and Tangail of Mymensingh and Madhupur upazila of Tangail. The total spread of this mean is 4,244 square kilometers. 50 years ago, the main attraction of this forest was the shal and gajari tree. This is why the forest is named after Shalban. But due to cutting of shal trees illegally, now the actual size has come to 10 thousand 500 acres. The rest of the part is used for occupation and other purposes. More than 20 years ago, a large shal and gajari tree were found in the Madhupur forest. It is known that Salalban was located on 17,000 acres of land in Muktagachha upazila adjacent to Tangail-Mymensingh road. Meanwhile, Rasulpur ranges in Banschara of Jamalpur, Santoshpur in Fulbaria of Mymensingh, Rasulpur Sadar of Muktagacha, Khajulia, Halida and Chalura split.
Ten years ago there were a lot of other trees including shal and gajari. Now there are other crops including lemon gardens, banana garden, fisheries, brickwork etc. In addition, many acres of land in the forest are now empty fields. The influential people are building houses in these areas, fisheries and agro farms. Some areas have been occupied in the name of Social Forest Department. Of the 17 thousand acres of forest in the Rasulpur forest, now only five thousand acres. Among them, there is a small area of Gajari gardens in Sultanpur, Phulbaria, Muktagacha,Salura and Rasulpur Sadar bits, but there is no mention of Gajaria forest in Bamchhara and Khajulia. The whole forest is empty now. Land of forest in two areas has been occupied.
As a result there is no bit office in those areas. Where there are some forests, there can be organised wood thieves. They are carrying bigger ones and axes from the woods, cutting the skyline of Gajari and Woodlot gardens, or carrying vehicles. Locals complained that many brick fields were developed outside of the forest within 10 kilometers of the forest. These bricks are used as ladders, forest shal and gajari trees. Although there are some officers and forest officials appointed to look for forests. They are not in the forest, and even though in the forest do not go out of the office. The forest department has taken responsibility only on the case.
The forest thieves are cutting trees in this opportunity. Meanwhile, there are only a few ‘gajari’ trees in Muktagacha and Phulbaria upazilas of Mymensingh district. The remaining part of the forest land is also being occupied. However, forest department claims that they do not have the necessary manpower. Riyazul Matin, Madhupur National Park headquarters officer, said,
“There are only two forest offices. It is not possible to sustain forest with two protectors.
