The country’s second largest mangrove forest after the Sundarbans is located in Taltoli Upazila of Barguna district.
The forest is on the verge of extinction. A local gang, with the help of forest guards, is pushing the forest towards destruction.
This evil act of destroying the Tengragiri is not new, it has been happening for a long time.
Many reports have already been published on this issue. Even then, no effective initiative is seen to protect Tengragiri. This is very sad.
According to a newspaper report yesterday, Tengragiri Forest has an area of 13,644 acres.
The three major rivers of the south, Payra, Baleshwar and Bishkhali, flow into the Bay of Bengal from here.
60 percent of the various species of fish that come up from the sea in the country’s rivers and streams pass through here.
In this important part of fish breeding and migration, hundreds of fishermen manage the forest department and catch fish every day with small gillnets, depleting the country’s vast fish stocks.
On the other hand, they are also cutting down forest trees by bribing forest guards.
The report also confirmed that in many places, large trees had been cut down, leaving their stumps lying around.
According to local fishermen hundreds of fishermen were fishing in the three rivers adjacent to the forest using small nets made of poles.
Many trees were seen cut down, leaving their stumps lying around. Bribes are also paid to graze animals inside the forest.
Locals have alleged that the Nalbunia BIT office in Nishanbaria Union of Taltoli Upazila has become a den of corruption.
However, the forest guards and officials of BIT have denied the allegations against them, claiming that these allegations were made deliberately to cut down illegal nets.
Taltali Range Officer Md. Matiar Rahman said that he was not aware of the matter.
If he receives a complaint, action will be taken against the responsible persons.
Now it remains to be seen what he will take action on the basis of media reports.
We are not unaware of the daily complaints against a certain group of forest department officials.
We hope that the said forest officer will take effective measures to stop illegal fishing with nets and cutting down trees.
