Although there is an official instruction in this respect, but it is being ignored most often.

The practice is going on for the last two years although it is shown in pen and papers that gunny bags are being used for the purpose.

A few years ago when the concerned ministry prohibited use of polythene to produce saplings, the Forest Department directed all its nurseries to use gunny bags.

During a visit to different government nurseries on Thursday, this correspondent found that not a single gunny bag was used for the purpose. Not only polythene bags, but also plastic and earthen pots were used.

Forest Department sources said, this year a programme has been undertaken to produce 4.25 lakh saplings in all nurseries of the district. Of them, two lakh saplings would be grown for normal forests in Domar and Dimla upazilas, 1.5 lakh in two social forestry nurseries and training centres and about 75,000 saplings in six upazila forestry plantation centres.

Additional 20 per cent saplings would be produced because 10 per cent bags are damaged during their growing stage. So, the demand for bags is about 6 lakh.

When contacted, Forest Ranger Khorshed Alam said that he had supplied gunny bags from his office in Rangpur for producing saplings in two years (2004 and 2005). But it was a fraction of the total demand, he said.

Khorshed Alam further said this year he is using plastic pots of 160 microns, polythene bags below 100 microns and earthen pots instead of gunny bags.

he is using pole thene bags below 100 microns, plastic pots of 160 microns (Hi-denisty plastic) and even earthen pots. He said that it has official recomendation for using them. He also said that the divisional officer in Rangpur usually ask for tender for supplying gunny or poly bags and plastic and earthern pots.

On contact, Divisional Forest Officer Abu Yusuf said, gunny bags did not last for more than three months while those were used in producing saplings in 2004 and 2005.

Because, he said, the bags, when came in contact with soil, fertilser and rainwater, began to decompose rapidly. Moreover, it is not mandatory to use gunny bags for the purpose, he said. He also said this year plastic pots, earthen pots and polythene bags are being used as per directives of the authorities concerned. He also admitted that no tender was called for supplying gunny bags this year.

However, another source in the Forest Department said there is no written order prohibiting gunny bags for the purpose.

The source said the price of a piece of gunny bag is between Tk 1.40 Tk 1.50 while that of polythene bag is only between 25-30 paisa. Every year it is shown in pen and papers that gunny bags are used in the government nurseries but actually polythene bags and plastic and earthen pots are used for producing saplings. This is done allegedly in connivance with a section of officials, the source said.

Abdul Latif, a teacher of Nilphamari Government College Botany Department said polythene bags do not decompose. If the bags remain under soil, roots of saplings cannot spread freely resulting in untimely death.