Forest Department Files Cases Against 62 Over Timber Theft

The Forest Department has initiated two separate legal cases against sixty-two individuals, including political figures and local activists, for the illegal felling, theft, and trading of timber from protected forest zones. The crackdown targets illicit activities within the Satchari National Park and the Rema-Kalenga Wildlife Sanctuary.

The initial case focuses specifically on Satchari National Park, where twenty individuals have been formally implicated for unauthorized tree felling and the subsequent commercial trade of stolen timber. The complaint was formally registered on Tuesday afternoon at the Chunarughat police station by Md Mobarak Hossain, the range officer for the Satchari Wildlife Range. The legal action invokes specific sections of the Forest Act, specifically sections 26(1k)(b) and 26(1k)(d), as amended in the year 2000.

Case documentation reveals that the illegal logging and commercial distribution occurred covertly across multiple intervals between January 2005 and mid-May 2006 within the protected forest boundaries of Paikpara Union in Chunarughat Upazila. Confidential intelligence reports corroborated the direct involvement of twenty suspects in orchestrating and profiting from the timber syndicate.

Maruf Mia, thirty, who serves as the member secretary of the Chunarughat Upazila Chhatra Dal and resides in Moynabad village under Durgach Union, has been named as the primary accused in the first case.

According to investigative filings, intelligence surveillance successfully identified twelve individuals directly participating in the felling and theft of trees, while an additional eight individuals were identified as active buyers of the illicit timber. Following preliminary inquiries by the Forest Department, formal directives issued by the Prime Nister’s Office and the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change prompted the immediate filing of charges against all identified suspects.

The accused individuals named in connection with the Satchari forestry violations include prominent political figures and local merchants. Among those implicated for direct felling are Upazila Chhatra Dal Member Secretary Maruf Mia, Satchari Park Co-Management Committee President and Shahjahanpur Union BNP President Shafiqul Islam Abul, local timber merchant Munayem, Kala Mia, Abdul Kuddus, Jasim, Tahir Mia, Abdul Jalil Mia, Rafiq Mia, Helal Mia, and Mokbul Mia.

Meanwhile, those specifically charged with purchasing the stolen timber include Maruf Mia, Upazila Swechchhasebak Dal Joint Convener Jahangir Khan, Upazila Jubo Dal Senior Joint Convener Shafiq Mia Mohaldar, Upazila BNP Organising Secretary Karim Sarkar, timber merchant Belal, Zamrut, Sohel, and Mirashi Union Krishak League General Secretary Mizanur Rahman Sohag.

Defending against the allegations, Upazila Chhatra Dal Member Secretary Maruf Mia strongly rejected the claims, labeling the charges as entirely false, baseless, and part of a targeted political conspiracy to frame him.

Range Officer Md Mobarak Hossain emphasised that the legal proceedings were initiated strictly following directives from higher governmental authorities based on confidential intelligence dossiers. Officials maintain that the accused individuals have inflicted severe and sustained damage upon the protected woodland ecosystems through prolonged illegal harvesting.

Officer-in-Charge Md Saiful Islam of Chunarughat police station confirmed the registration of the cases, reiterating that law enforcement will take uncompromising legal steps against all implicated parties. Divisional Forest Officer Abul Kalam stated that the department maintains a zero-tolerance stance against timber smuggling, vowing that exhaustive investigations will bring all genuine perpetrators to justice.

In a parallel development on the same day, the Forest Department lodged a second major case at the Rema-Kalenga Wildlife Sanctuary, implicating forty-two additional individuals for similar offenses. That complaint was formally filed by forest official H M Ershad.

The Rema-Kalenga sanctuary, spanning extensive rugged terrain in the border region of Chunarughat Upazila, represents one of the country’s most ecologically vital conservation areas. Environmentalists have repeatedly warned that persistent timber theft and habitat degradation severely threaten local wildlife populations and broader regional ecological balance. Authorities expect that these synchronized legal actions will significantly bolster enforcement efforts across protected forests.

What steps can conservation authorities implement to enhance surveillance and prevent illegal logging in remote wildlife sanctuaries?