-Fake tender through manipulation
- Live trees cutting runs illegally
-District lost its natural balance
-Though govt has changed, theft goes on
Jashore Zilla Parishad has runs a deforestation festival across the district. The government is losing crores of revenue. The leaders and activists of the ousted Awami League are openly looting these hundred-year-old trees on the side of various roads owned by the Zilla Parishad.
It is alleged that this tree theft is happening with the connivance of the officials responsible for this work of the Zilla Parishad. As a result of this the government is losing revenue as well as the balance of the environment is getting seriously damaged.
According to detailed sources, Jashore's district council has several hundred crores worth of rain trees starting from mahogany, shal, teak, mango kathal and many other valuable trees. Especially the historic Jashore road, Jashore-Khulna highway, Jashore-Narail highway, Jashore-Jhenaidah highway, Jashore-Satkhira Via Navaran highway, Jashore-Keshabpur, Jashore-Chaugacha, Jashore-Bagharprada, Jashore Zilla Parishad owns about hundreds of small and big roads. And there were thousands of valuable trees on both sides of these highways and regional roads. But in the last seven years, Zilla Parishad Chairman Saifuzzaman Pikul and his cronies have stolen and sold trees worth crores of taka in the name of auction without any regard for any rules.
Sources say that on December 2, 2018, the district council tendered 1962 centenary mahogany and rain tree trees in 5 groups in 4 groups up to the final border of Jashore-Khulna highway and 1 group up to Haibatpur bridge of Jashore Jhenaidah road. At that time, the tenders of these 5 groups were bid anonymously by Zilla Parishad Chairman and District Awami League Vice President Saifuzzaman Pikul and his son District Chhatra League General Secretary Tanjib Naushad Pallab. Pikul and his son bought these trees worth about Tk 50 crore for only Tk 5.5 crore.
In the same way, father and son bought tenders of trees on Jashore-Narail and Jashore-Chuknagar roads anonymously in their own names. He took out the work order without depositing the government tender money as Zilla Parishad. After that he sold the work order for tk 35 crores to 2/3 contractors including M/s Bablu Enterprise of Jashore loan office. It does not end here. They also looted trees on various regional roads including Jashore -Benapole.
At that time no one had the courage to open their mouths or write despite knowing everything. Last in March this year, in the third round, the Zilla Parishad Chairman used his favorite staff surveyor Al-Amin to construct the Sharsha-Goga road, Sharsha-Gorpara road, Jhikargacha-Bakra road, Jhikargacha-Kayekkola road, Chowgacha-Maheshpur road, Chowgacha-Kotchandpur road, Chowgacha- Jashore road, Pulerhat-Trimohini road, Haibatpur-Paranpur road of Sadar upazila and 509 raintree and sale of Mahogany trees in Sharsha Gorpara-Bangda road.
On April 29, the work order of this tender was divided into two groups. Mahidul Islam Milon, owner of M/s Milon Enterprises in Group No 1 purchased 256 live trees at a total price of Tk 18 lakh 99 thousand including VAT IT. And 251 trees identified as dead and dangerous group 2 were bought by Awami League leader Taufiq Jahan of Kazipara, the owner of M/s Jahan Enterprises, including VAT IT, for Tk 5 lakh 15 thousand. But the interesting thing is that despite the work order being given in the name of M/s Jahan Enterprises, Taufiq Jahan does not know anything about the tender.
He told reporters, "I don't know when, where, what tender was given or what work order was given by the district council." I have not participated in any tree tender of Zilla Parishad. Everything that has been done in the papers has been done by Saifuzzaman Pikul, the former chairman of the Zilla Parishad and the engineer and CEO and AO of the Zilla Parishad. On inquiry, it is known that the tender of this 2nd group has only been formalized in the papers. Everything has been done according to the chairman's instructions.
Meanwhile, in the name of M/s Jahan Enterprise, a Jubo League leader named Rubel from Sharsha has been cutting and selling hundreds of trees from different regional roads of Jashore district for the last few months as work order in that paper. Even though the work order says to cut down dead and endangered trees, he is still cutting and selling all living and centenary raintree and mehgani trees. According to the information, after the fall of the government, the cutting of trees was stopped for a few days, but from last August 16, Rubel started cutting live trees on various roads. After receiving the information, it was found that 175 trees have been cut from different places of Jashore's Navaran-Baghachra and Sharsha-Gorpara and Sharsha-Jamtala roads. Out of which 156 trees are alive and out of work order.
After being informed about the matter, Wahiduzzaman, Assistant Engineer of Zilla Parishad, along with AO Lutfar Rahman, visited the spot and investigated the incident of tree theft on the spot. At that time, they spoke to the contractor Rubel after receiving 100% truth of the complaint.
Rubel said, he is not a real contractor. He bought this tree from one Bakul and Manu Mia for Tk 20 lakh. He is cutting trees as shown by Al Amin, surveyor of Zilla Parishad. When surveyor Al Amin was asked about this, he could not give any answer.
Sources say that many Zilla Parishad officers are involved in the cutting of these trees and money transactions. Because now there is no chairman. After August 5, the chairman and his son fled. Now, since August 16, government trees worth crores of taka are being cut without any documents. When these precious trees are being cut in the presence of the surveyors and staff of the Zilla Parishad, the common people do not understand anything.
Although contact was made in this regard, no trace of one Bakul and Manu Mia was found. Taufiq Jahan, the owner of M/s Jahan Enterprises, said that he did not give any tender for the tree. No work order received. No pay order submitted. He does not know anyone named Manu and Bakul. As a result, there is no question of selling the tree to anyone named Bakul and Manu.
When contacted, Chief Executive Officer of Jashore Zilla Parishad Asaduzzaman said that all the information received is correct. There have been many injustices and irregularities in Jashore Zilla Parishad in the last 5/7 years. I could not do any remedy despite knowing everything.
When talking to Zilla Parishad Administrator and Jashore DC Abraul Hasan Majumdar about the theft of these trees, he said, he heard all the incidents. I do not understand how this is happening. I have directed the CEO to investigate the incident and submit a report within 2 working days. Until the investigation report is received, I have ordered the suspension of all tree tender activities of the Zilla Parishad and stop cutting of trees. Further action will be taken after receiving the report. Remember that no one will get away with corruption. Be it a government official or an outside power contractor.
ZH
