Mro residents accuse Chattogram businessman of felling forest trees illegally in Bandarban

Dung of elephants used to carry the felled trees has allegedly polluted water in Lama, causing diarrhoea among children

The residents of 13 Mro villages at Lama in Bandarban have alleged an influential businessman from Chattogram has been felling trees of forests conserved and “owned” by the villagers for more than two decades.

They have also alleged dung of elephants used to carry the felled trees has polluted water in the area, causing diarrhoea among children.

The businessman, Morshed Alam Chowdhury of Lohagara, could not be reached for comment. He is a member of Chattogram South Jubo League’s committee.

But his brother Khorshed Alam Chowdhury, president of Lohagara Awami League, and a manager of Morshed claimed his men were collecting wood from the forests legally with government’s permission.

The Forest Department said it was investigating the allegations and sent its staffers visited the site.

A 30-acre part of the forest in remote Lemupalong is owned and conserved by the villagers, who use wood for housing and other purposes with permission from their headman, the Mro residents said. No individual, including the headman, has the authority to sell the trees, they said.

Kainwai Mro, headman of Lemupalong, said they asked Morshed’s men to stop felling the trees, but the workers told them Kainwai’s father had struck a deal with Morshed to collect wood.

“We’ve no idea what the deal is. But they never heed us.”

Ongrung Pru, a resident of the area, said they felled some trees in the forest for housing in 2022, but Morshed’s man stopped them from cutting more trees.

“They also wanted to take away the rocks from the waterfalls, but couldn’t do it as we resisted.”

Morshed sends 50-60 workers to fell the trees in January every year and they work until monsoon in May-June.

Another resident, Menpe Mro, said they tried to stop the workers in 2015, but Morshed’s men filed three cases against the villagers at the time, alleging abduction and attempted murder.

The locals have established a school in the area for children to study up to grade three. Teacher Thongang Mro said the school told students not to drink water from the fall due to pollution caused by dung of the elephants brought by Morshed’s workers.

Four students drank water from the fall two weeks ago amid excessive heat and they suffered diarrhoea, the teacher said.

Morshed was unreachable on his mobile number when http://bdnews24.com tried to contact him.

Md Rafique, a manager of Morshed, said his employer was in Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj.

Rafique claimed they have the Forest Department’s permission to cut trees.

“The previous headman sold the trees for life to our employer,” he said.

Brother Khorshed said Morshed was doing business legally. He alleged some people were spreading “lies” against his brother.

Asked if Morshed had the permission to collect wood from the forests, Lama Divisional Forest Officer Ariful Haque said he was not aware of any forest under the department in Lemupalong.

“We sent a team to the area for investigation. We’ll take action after getting the report. We’re dealing with the matter sinerely,” he said.

Mostafa Jabed Kaiser, chief executive of Lama Upazila administration, said they were checking whether the elephants were being used legally.