One-fourth of 4 lakh acre Kachalong Reserve Forest grabbed in Rangamati

Gradual depletion of vast Kachalong Reserve Forest in Rangamati hill district is causing environmental degradation and silting up of rivers including Karnaphuli.

The situation, already affect agriculture in the area, will eventually threaten Kaptai Hydroelectricity Project and Chittagong Port, said environmentalists and others concerned.

Rampant illegal felling of trees, grabbing forestland by influence people and poaching under the safe shelter of a section of dishonest forest officials are responsible for the situation, sources said.

Some 46,476 acres of the 4,04,867-acre Kachalong Reserve Forest were de-reserved as they were declared mouza land in two phases till 1978, Rangamati forest office sources said

Besides, over 1-lakh acres of Kachalong reserve forestland has been grabbed by at least four thousand indigenous and Bangali families in connivance with dishonest forest officials, sources said.

With decreasing of the forest many wild animals lost their habitat and started entering localities in search of food.

Kachalong, Mainee, Raingkheeyang, Kaptai and Karnafuli Rivers are losing their depth due to soil erosion caused by deforestation.

Kachalong Reserve Forest was established on July 1 in 1940 following a notification by the then British government, said sources at Rangamati forest. Office.

The reserve forest consists of eight ranges -- Machalong, Shisok, Laxmichhari (West), Laxmichhari (East), Pablakhali, Bagaihat, Naraichhari and Wildlife Sanctuary Range.

The daily star correspondent visited some parts of Bagaihat, Shishok, Pablakhali and Naraichhari range of Kachalong reserve forest and talked with more than 20 officials and 50 people including forestland grabbers and collected huge data about the reserve forest grabbing, wood cutting, transporting and selling.

Sajek Union Parishad Chairman L Thanga Pangkhoya blamed forest officials' mismanagement and lack of proper monitoring for gradual extinction of Kachalong Reserve Forest.

Mongal Moni Chakma, 41, who built house at Gangarummukh under Bagaichhari upazila four months ago, said 47 families shifted to the forestland from remote Shuknachhari village considering better communication facilities of the area.

Ananta Chakma, a wood trader from Pablakhali under Rangamati district, said a section of people are engaged in grabbing forestlands through bribing the concerned officials.

Delwar Hossen Khan, ranger of Bagaihat range under Kachalong reserve forest, said they have identified 523 families in the range while the figure of grabber families might be about four thousand.

Environment worker Abu Daud Muhammad urged the authorities concerned to take effective steps to save that green forest, water level, rivers, cultivation and save wild lives.

Action will be taken against loggers and grabbers in Kachalong reserve forest, Ratan Kumar Majumder, the conservator of forest at Rangamati office, said, adding that they sent a Social Forestry Project to the government.

Failure to save Kachalong reserve forest will lead to silting up of the four rivers and affect cultivation, drinking water, Kaptai hydroelectric project and Chittagong port, he said.

Following a meeting at Rangamati Deputy Commissioner's Office on March 13 this year, a seven-member survey team led by Bagaichhari Upazila Nirbahi Officer Shibir Bichitra Barua have identified some grabbers and suggested their removal.