Monirul Islam, senior deputy assistant engineer of the Srimangal division of the railways, cut down some trees in Lawachara National Park without informing the forest department.
It is learned that railway workers have been maintaining the Dhaka-Sylhet railway line inside Lawachara National Park since last Saturday morning. At one stage, the workers working on the line cut down two banat and chikrashi trees from the side of the railway line.
According to the railway workers, the trees were cut down on the instructions of the railway engineer. On Sunday, the cut trees were taken to Srimangal railway station by a freight truck.
From there, some trees and tree trunks were taken to a nearby railway station.After receiving the information Monaim Hossain, Range Officer, Wildlife and Nature Conservation Department, Moulvibazar and Anwar Hossain, BIT Officer, Lawachara, led a joint operation at Srimangal Railway Station and adjoining areas to recover the trees.
In this regard, Senior Deputy Assistant Engineer of Railways Monirul Islam said, "On Saturday morning, our railway workers were working to maintain the line inside the Lawachara forest."
Workers cut down trees to clear the line when two trees fell on the line in heavy rain on Friday night.
He informed the people of Forest Department about the matter. But he alleged that they broke the lock of the government house of the railway without their permission in the name of search and did illegal work.
Monaim Hossain, Range Officer, Wildlife and Nature Conservation Department, Moulvibazar, said,“Monirul Islam, a senior deputy assistant engineer of the railways, stole the trees from Lawachara without informing us. We got the news and recovered trees and chopped wood on Sunday and Monday.”
“In collaboration with the police, we conducted a search operation in front of his residence and recovered more trees. We will take legal action against this engineer.”
