Shahadat Hossain Sazzad, Raozan
Teak timber worth crores of taka is being smuggled from reserved forests under the Chattogram North Forest Division through roads and waterways of Raozan, according to investigations. Sources allege that a powerful syndicate involved in illegal timber trade is felling trees indiscriminately—from government-reserved forests to social forestry plantations—without restraint.
Local sources said valuable species including teak, garjan, gamari, koroi, akashmoni, jarul, jam teak, chapalish and gola wood are being cut and transported by trucks, pick-ups and chander gari to nearly a hundred sawmills across Raozan upazila. At these mills, the logs are cut into different sizes before being smuggled in a second phase—mostly at night—to Chattogram city and other parts of the country.
Tree felling continues throughout the day, while large-scale smuggling begins after nightfall via roads and waterways. The deeper the night, the more intense the activity becomes. Timber is reportedly transported through several routes, including Shahid Jafar Road via Brindaban in Haldiya Union, Yasin Shah Road, Dost Mohammad Chowdhury Road, Gahira Adudia Road and Hafez Bazlul Rahman Road.
Sources further alleged that extortion is collected from each consignment arriving by waterway—Tk 150 from each bamboo raft, Tk 50 from bamboo floats, Tk 500 from each jeep loaded with timber, and Tk 250 from nosimon or tomtom vehicles. The money is reportedly collected in the name of a timber traders’ association, with syndicate members claiming it is used to “manage” forest officials, forest beats, police and local administration, enabling uninterrupted smuggling.
It is also alleged that the more than one hundred sawmills operating in Raozan have become major consumers driving the destruction of reserved forests. Despite being fully illegal, timber is stockpiled, processed and transported from these mills in plain sight of the Forest Department and law enforcement agencies, yet no effective enforcement drive is visible.
There are further allegations that personnel at the Dhalar Mukh Station checkpost in Raozan facilitate the smuggling of valuable teak and other contraband in exchange for monthly payments. In some cases, negotiations are reportedly held over the amount to be paid.
Meanwhile, on 17 December, border security forces seized a large consignment of illegally smuggled teak while it was being transported through the Sorta canal waterway near the Barma Chhari border. A total of 530 pieces of teak were recovered, with an estimated market value of Tk 500,000. The seized timber was later handed over to the Sorta Beat under the Hathazari Range, officials said.
Denying allegations of taking bribes, SM Rezaul Islam, Station Officer of Raozan Dhalar Mukh under the Ichhamati Range of the Chattogram North Forest Division, said: “We conduct operations from time to time. Timber smuggling does take place through different roads in Raozan, but due to manpower shortages it is not possible to carry out regular drives. We also do not yet have complete information on how many legal and illegal sawmills are operating in Raozan.”
Raozan Upazila Assistant Commissioner (Land) Angsing Marma said that immediate action would be taken if any specific complaints regarding illegal timber smuggling or sawmills are received.
