The timber mafia, in connivance with criminal elements in Swat and Malakand area, is cutting trees at "free will" to foster deforestation in the country.
Organised crime syndicates are eyeing the nascent forest carbon credit industry as a potentially lucrative new opportunity for fraud, an Interpol environmental crime official said on Friday.
Peter Younger, an environmental crimes specialist at the world's largest international police agency, was referring to a UN-backed scheme called reducing emissions from deforestation and degradation.
Reserve forests in coastal areas of Patuakhali, especially in Kalapara and Galachipa upazilas, are gradually disappearing as organised gangs are stealing away timber allegedly in connivance with a section of forest department staff and law enforcers.
Besides, a large number of trees are dying due to unknown diseases allegedly caused by deposition of sand.
Reserve forests in coastal areas of Patuakhali, especially in Kalapara and Galachipa upazilas, are gradually disappearing as organised gangs are stealing away timber allegedly in connivance with a section of forest department staff and law enforcers.
Besides, a large number of trees are dying due to unknown diseases allegedly caused by deposition of sand.
A logging operation planned by Asia's biggest pulp producer in Indonesia's Sumatra island threatens the habitat of rare orangutans, tigers and elephants, a joint report by five conservation groups said on Tuesday.
Law enforcing agencies with the cooperation of coast guards have recovered smuggled timbers worth TK 20 lakh and seized two trawlers in a week from Swarupkathi region under Pirojpur district.
A truck transporting a load of timber in the guise of transporting Army provisions to Puthumathalan, Puthukuduyirippu and Paranthan, supported by convincing documents had been apprehended by Dambulla Forest Conservation Officers, yesterday.
