A 70-year-old man named Mobarak Ali Fakir has been detained by the Detective Branch (DB) of police for allegedly cutting down a palm tree on government land in Jhakharkhali. The tree had served as a nesting site for over 100 weaver birds, locally known as Babui Pakhi, many of which are endangered.
The felling of the tree caused the destruction of numerous nests, resulting in the death of 96 chicks and damage to several hatchlings. This act of ecological harm sparked a wave of outrage both online and in the local community. Thousands of netizens took to social media, demanding justice and strict punishment for those responsible. The incident also drew strong condemnation from environmental organizations, including the Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (BELA) in Barishal, which has called for exemplary punishment under the law.
Mobarak Ali Fakir was arrested from Guaton village in Jhalakathi’s Sadar upazila on Monday afternoon, following a case filed by Masudur Rahman, a Union Parishad member of Shekherhat Union, at the Jhalakathi Sadar Police Station on June 29.
In addition to the initial complaint, a separate case was filed in court by Md Arifur Rahman, the district’s Forest Officer, under the Wildlife Conservation and Security Act, 2012. This second case accuses Mobarak Ali Fakir along with Farid Hossain and Mizanur Rahman of violating wildlife protection laws.
According to local residents, Mobarak Ali Fakir sold the tree—despite it being on public land—to Farid Hossain and Mizanur Rahman, who then hired two workers to fell it. The action was carried out in defiance of opposition from local villagers who tried to stop the felling.
