Illegal logging

According to media reports, complaints have been raised about local influential people running unlicensed sawmills near the forest of Charmontaj range in Rangabali upazila of Patuakhali district. It is well known that timber is a precious commodity in Bangladesh. High timber prices have made the timber business lucrative. As a result, illegal timber harvesting has become widespread throughout the country and consequently illegal saw mills are being established in ever larger number.

Unfortunately some rather obsolete policies upheld by the forest departments provide many loopholes which are being exploited by the timber loggers. These loggers act with virtual impunity as many of them are alleged to have representation within the government and tend to bribe relevant officials. Owing to the corrupt elements within the government, the illegal timber traders continue to be an active player in logging and other commercial activities which have turned into a grave threat to the country’s forests. Poor forest management and the lack of law-enforcement efforts to curtail forest exploitation have prompted the illegal cutting of trees and provided an impetus to these elements.

Poverty is another major factor that has contributed to forest shrinkage in this country. For many people who are unable to earn a living in any other way, felling trees to sell timber to traders helps them make their ends meet. This is mainly because the government pays a low price for legal timber to locals as compared to the amount offered by the criminal elements.

Bangladesh has been struggling with the consequences of large swathes of denuded forest for decades. The country is experiencing warmer summers and colder winters, erratic rainfall and frequent landslides. There has also been a rise in pest attacks on crops and a decline in animal and bird population.

It is necessary to amend the existing laws on deforestation to ensure that they can be applied to present circumstances. A proper institutional setup is also needed to stop lumberjacks from wreaking havoc on natural resources. In addition, afforestation must be carried out on a large scale to tackle this threat.

Environmentalists believe that any initiative to revive forestation will not be fruitful until the government does not deal with the illegal timber loggers with an iron fist. Empowering local forest communities and building a sense of ownership among them will translate into a policing role and can effectively combat illegal logging.

Illegal logging

According to media reports, complaints have been raised about local influential people running unlicensed sawmills near the forest of Charmontaj range in Rangabali upazila of Patuakhali district. It is well known that timber is a precious commodity in Bangladesh. High timber prices have made the timber business lucrative. As a result, illegal timber harvesting has become widespread throughout the country and consequently illegal saw mills are being established in ever larger number. Unfortunately some rather obsolete policies upheld by the forest departments provide many loopholes which are being exploited by the timber loggers. These loggers act with virtual impunity as many of them are alleged to have representation within the government and tend to bribe relevant officials. Owing to the corrupt elements within the government, the illegal timber traders continue to be an active player in logging and other commercial activities which have turned into a grave threat to the countrys forests. Poor forest management and the lack of law-enforcement efforts to curtail forest exploitation have prompted the illegal cutting of trees and provided an impetus to these elements. Poverty is another major factor that has contributed to forest shrinkage in this country. For many people who are unable to earn a living in any other way, felling trees to sell timber to traders helps them make their ends meet. This is mainly because the government pays a low price for legal timber to locals as compared to the amount offered by the criminal elements. Bangladesh has been struggling with the consequences of large swathes of denuded forest for decades. The country is experiencing warmer summers and colder winters, erratic rainfall and frequent landslides. There has also been a rise in pest attacks on crops and a decline in animal and bird population. It is necessary to amend the existing laws on deforestation to ensure that they can be applied to present circumstances. A proper institutional setup is also needed to stop lumberjacks from wreaking havoc on natural resources. In addition, afforestation must be carried out on a large scale to tackle this threat. Environmentalists believe that any initiative to revive forestation will not be fruitful until the government does not deal with the illegal timber loggers with an iron fist. Empowering local forest communities and building a sense of ownership among them will translate into a policing role and can effectively combat illegal logging.