30 school trees in Panchagarh cut down, sold

At least 30 trees on the compound of Jotmoniram Government Primary School in Boda upazila here have been cut down without permission from the authorities concerned.

Locals alleged that headteacher of the school Mobarak Ali and its managing committee president Krishna Chandra Roy sold the trees to local wood trader Tamizuddin.

They informed the Zila education office and the upazila administration about it on Saturday when Tamizuddin started cutting down the trees.

During a visit to the school, all the 30 trees, mostly of banyan, jackfruit and eucalyptus, were cut down.

AM Shahajahan Siddique, Zila primary education officer, said they received a complaint from local people about the cutting down of the trees on Saturday.

Upazila education officer Masud Hasan was instructed to investigate the matter and submit a report as soon as possible. “Necessary steps will be taken as per the report,” he said.

Syed Mahmud Hasan, Boda upazila nirbahi officer, said the upazila education officer has been asked to seize the trees that have already been cut down.

Asked about it, Krishna Chandra Roy, the school managing committee president, said they had consulted the local union parishad chairman before selling off the trees.

Contacted, Moydandighi UP chairman Abdul Jobbar said, “I suggested them to cut down the trees following the proper and legal procedure.”