Patharia forest is burning in a fire set by the forest department

A forest of 4.5 acres has been burnt in Makal Jora of Patharia Hills Reserve Forest located in Juri and Baralekha upazilas of Moulvibazar district. The news of the forest burning for a few days also came in the media of the country. Even though the forest department said that action will be taken in this incident, the complaint is against the forest department itself.

The Patharia Hills Reserve Forest covering the north eastern edge of Juri and Baralekha upazilas of Moulvibazar has four wild elephants, which are found nowhere else in Sylhet. Recently, the burning of this forest has angered local residents and environmental activists. The forest department has been accused of burning a large part of the reserved forest in the name of social forestry.

Local environmentalists say the fire site was a natural elephant habitat. Moreover, the bamboo plantation here was elephant food.

It can be seen on the ground in Samanabhag area of Baralekha range of Patharia Hills Reserve Forest, the forest has been burnt to ashes for eight days. Despite knowing about the matter, the forest department has been accused of not taking any steps to extinguish the fire. On the contrary, they have been accused of trying to cover up the incident in various ways. At first they claimed it was no big deal. But when it comes to discussion, the forest department takes various initiatives to cover it up.

Head of Wildlife and Nature Conservation Department Rezaul Karim Chowdhury said, "I have come to know about the fire in the forest. It is under the general forest department. But since there is a fire in the protected forest area, it will cause extensive damage to the habitats of various insects and birds, especially elephants. Human-elephant conflict can increase due to food wastage. If food elephants enter the area, there can be a lot of damage."

On the surface, it can be seen that the trunks of large trees have fallen and are mixed with the ground. At least 20,000 trees, big and small, have been burnt, millions of bamboos have been cut. The forest department reportedly cut down the trees before setting them on fire. Moreover, the forest department is also strategically preventing the locals from talking to journalists.

Kamal Ahmed, a regular commuter there, said, "We saw a fire in the forest a week ago. The intensity of the fire was so high that it spread to many parts of the forest. Although the matter was reported to the forest department, they did not take any action."

Earlier on Saturday, March 11, it was seen on the ground that the forest land in Dhalchari and Makal Zora area of mixed evergreen samanbhag area was burnt to ashes. A fire is burning on one side. The fire destroyed the habitat of various reptile species including python snake, spectacled Hanuman, Maya deer, tortoise, bonroo, porcupine and rare insects and several species of trees.

On that day, it can be seen that the bamboo cutting festival is going on on the other side of the forest. About 40 workers are destroying government properties. These bamboos will be burnt later.

According to the sources of the forest department, this protected forest includes Lathitila, Samanbhag, Baralekha, Madhavachhara bits. This section of ecologically mixed evergreen Samanbhag Forest is part of the Indo-Burma Biodiversity Hotspot and is one of the six protected forest areas along the Indo-Bangladesh transboundary.

Environmentalists say that the local forest department is doing this to embezzle money in the name of forestry. Last year also they did the same but no action was taken against them.

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