Print: 28 Oct 2025
Photo: Courtesy
More than 1,000 trees have been illegally felled from the 205-bigha campus site of Rajshahi Medical University. Large mango orchards and mahogany groves have been cleared in the process.
The campus, located in Silinda of Rajshahi city, is being developed on land acquired by the government, including private orchards and buildings. According to university records, the campus has around 5,500 trees, all of which were numbered for official sale. However, no tender has been issued, nor has any contract been awarded.
Investigations found that trees had been gradually cut down over the past 10 months, with large-scale felling taking place in the past month.
Allegations suggest that, in collusion with some university officials, the contractor tasked with landfilling operations cut and sold the trees. When the matter became widely known, the university sought an explanation from the contractor.
The landfilling work is being carried out by Hossain Construction Pvt. Ltd. Its Rajshahi manager, Delwar Hossain, denied the allegations. He said, “We are only responsible for landfilling. The area where trees were cut is not part of our work. We do not know who cut the trees.”
The university, however, claims that individuals linked to the contractor were involved. Locally, the work is being supervised by former Rajshahi city Shibir president Khairul Islam and Shibir leader Shakilur Rahman, both of whom denied involvement.
University sources said tree felling had been happening sporadically for months, but in recent weeks a large number of trees were cut and transported out by trolley, drawing public attention. Leaders and activists who tried to investigate found that no official tender had been issued for tree cutting, which sparked further controversy.
In response, the university issued a show-cause notice to Hossain Construction. Sirajum Munir, deputy project director of the Medical University Establishment Project and director of RAMEB’s planning department. He said, “The trees were not cut on our behalf. They were cut illegally and irregularly by the contractor. We have issued an initial show-cause notice, and they submitted a reply yesterday. We will analyze their response and take further action.”
Source: Bangladesh Pratidin
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Hundreds of trees looted from Rajshahi medical campus
Photo: Courtesy
More than 1,000 trees have been illegally felled from the 205-bigha campus site of Rajshahi Medical University. Large mango orchards and mahogany groves have been cleared in the process.
The campus, located in Silinda of Rajshahi city, is being developed on land acquired by the government, including private orchards and buildings. According to university records, the campus has around 5,500 trees, all of which were numbered for official sale. However, no tender has been issued, nor has any contract been awarded.
Investigations found that trees had been gradually cut down over the past 10 months, with large-scale felling taking place in the past month.
Allegations suggest that, in collusion with some university officials, the contractor tasked with landfilling operations cut and sold the trees. When the matter became widely known, the university sought an explanation from the contractor.
The landfilling work is being carried out by Hossain Construction Pvt. Ltd. Its Rajshahi manager, Delwar Hossain, denied the allegations. He said, “We are only responsible for landfilling. The area where trees were cut is not part of our work. We do not know who cut the trees.”
The university, however, claims that individuals linked to the contractor were involved. Locally, the work is being supervised by former Rajshahi city Shibir president Khairul Islam and Shibir leader Shakilur Rahman, both of whom denied involvement.
University sources said tree felling had been happening sporadically for months, but in recent weeks a large number of trees were cut and transported out by trolley, drawing public attention. Leaders and activists who tried to investigate found that no official tender had been issued for tree cutting, which sparked further controversy.
In response, the university issued a show-cause notice to Hossain Construction. Sirajum Munir, deputy project director of the Medical University Establishment Project and director of RAMEB’s planning department. He said, “The trees were not cut on our behalf. They were cut illegally and irregularly by the contractor. We have issued an initial show-cause notice, and they submitted a reply yesterday. We will analyze their response and take further action.”
Source: Bangladesh Pratidin