The price of the tree would be around Tk1 lakh
Jamaat-e-Islami’s Natore municipality unit Vice-President Rowshan Arefin, also brother-in-law of a state minister, allegedly cut trees worth Tk1 lakh from government land yesterday.
Rawshan is a cloth trader by profession. His wife Fahmida Akter is the elder sister of State Minister for Information and Communication Technology Junayed Ahmed Palak, many local people and the local administration sources confirmed to the Dhaka Tribune.
Witnesses said some workers in presence of the Jamaat-e-Islami leader felled the trees from a government land under ward five in Singra municipality.
Locals informed the AC (assistant commissioner) Land office which later directed not to remove the trees from the spot.
However, the administrator neither seized the trees already felled nor served the accused any notice.
Local timber trader Arman Ali said the price of the tree would be around Tk1 lakh.
When contacted, Rowshan Ali said: “Although it is government land, the trees were planted by my father.
“I stopped cutting the trees being instructed by the AC Land office. I have applied to the office to get two-thirds of the trees.”
Salma Khatun, UNO of Singra upazila, told the Dhaka Tribune: “Upon getting information, I directed AC Land Rafiqul Islam to visit the spot and investigate the allegation.”
She said they would make a decision in this regard at a meeting today.
Source: Dhaka Tribune
