The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Bagerhat

Forest officials seized valuables, including Sundari timbers, worth Tk 25 crore while being smuggled out from the Sunderbans in the last four and half years.

They also arrested 484 forest dacoits and smugglers with firearms and ammunition who were engaged in smuggling valuable timbers and other forest resources since long.

East and West Zone Sunderban forest officials, in various drives, seized 2.56 lakh cft Sundari timbers and other valuables including firewood, shells, deer hide, venison, alive and dead deer, trawlers, boats, trucks, motorcycles, bicycles, firearms and ammunition from July 2003 till now.

The forest department so far filed 7,668 cases in this connection against the smugglers. The smugglers with the help of corrupt forest department staff members have been smuggling forest resources including valuables timbers since long, sources said.