KUSHTIA, Jan 1: Police recovered the body of an 18 year old college student from a bush in Daulatpur Upazila of Kushtia early Tuesday.
The deceased was identified as Siam, son of Shipul Ali of Madhugari Village under Boalia Union. According to sources, Siam went missing from his home on Monday evening. The following morning, local farmers discovered his body lying in a bush behind Sehala Uttarpara Government Primary School and informed police.
Daulatpur Police Station Officer-in-Charge Arifur Rahman confirmed the incident, saying a case has been filed.
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Illegal charcoal kilns mushroom at Paikgachha
PAIKGACHHA, KHULNA, Jan 1: Illegal charcoal production has taken a devastating toll on the environment in Paikgachha Upazila of Khulna, where hundreds of unauthorised kilns continue to operate under the protection of a powerful syndicate. Despite repeated complaints, authorities have failed to take effective action, raising serious questions among locals.
Investigations show that along the Paikgachha-Koyra highway near Chandkhali Bazar, dozens of kilns burn hundreds of maunds of timber daily to produce charcoal. Most operate without government approval or environmental clearance. Locals say trees are felled at night from forest reserves and social forestry projects, with influential figures "managing" officials to keep the trade alive.
On-site visits reveal thick black smoke billowing from the furnaces, often blanketing nearby areas. Traffic is disrupted, while pedestrians suffer eye irritation and breathing difficulties. Residents complain that prolonged exposure has led to a rise in respiratory illnesses, particularly among children and the elderly.
Environmental experts warn that indiscriminate burning of timber will accelerate deforestation, destroy biodiversity, and intensify climate risks. They caution that unchecked operations could worsen droughts, floods, and tidal surges in the future. Thousands of maunds of timber are reduced to ash annually, posing a severe threat to natural and social forestry.
Enforcement has been weak. In September 2022, the Khulna divisional office of the Department of Environment demolished only five of 69 kilns during a raid. Orders were issued to shut down the rest, but three years later, most remain active. Instead, kiln numbers have risen to nearly 200.
A local representative, requesting anonymity, said kiln owners maintain a powerful association that collects funds to "manage" different quarters, ensuring protection. As a result, few dare to challenge the syndicate.
F.M.A. Razzak, lawyer at Paikgachha Senior Judicial Magistrate Court and a human rights activist said, "After media reports, temporary fines are imposed. But unless illegal timber burning is permanently stopped, environmental disaster is inevitable."
Chandkhali Union Parishad's Acting Chairman, Md Abdullah Sardar, promised action upon receiving complaints. Yet residents remain skeptical, questioning whether this organised, environmentally destructive trade continues under invisible patronage.
