In the last three years, the same BNP lawmaker-- Kazi Rafique-- also reportedly influenced the forest department to let BNP leaders and activists plunder 14,000-15,000 more trees on a Bogra sandbank-- Dharaborosa Char in Shariakandi, according sources at the district administration.

The latest controversial tender was put to the fridge after a probe committee of the district administration detected three months back instances of staggering corruption.

The inquiry committee, headedby Additional Deputy Commissioner (Revenue) Sayed Mizanur Rahman following a complaint by Shariakandi Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Firdous Alam, found over 7,000 shishu, korai, babla trees worth about Tk 90 lakh were sold out for a meagre Tk 9.78 lakh to M/S Redwan Enterprise, a company owned by a BNP leader.

The 12-year-old trees were put on sale, dividing the area in 18 blocks and showing 400 trees in each section.

The investigation found the forest department guilty of manipulating the number of trees on each block. At least 800 trees were found on each block, said a probe committee member, estimating the total price of the trees at nine times the sale price.

The forest department also formed a probe committee but the report of which never saw the light of the day.

Affirming some anomalies in the number of trees on each block, DFO staff Mohammed Karim, however, said the difference was not as high as the investigators claimed.

When contacted, MP Kazi Rafique Monday denied his involvement in plundering of the forest wealth, claiming that he rather ordered the local administration to stop the controversial tender of the Divisional Forest Office (DFO) in Bogra.

But sources at the DFO and district administration confirmed that the tender process was indeed stopped but for the time being. The tree cutting resumed after the lawmaker verbally instructed the forest officials to go ahead with the controversial deal.

The contractor also distributed Tk 1,75,000 for excess tress on the blocks among some aggrieved BNP men, who first leaked the news of controversial tender after failing to get reasonable share in the crime.

When our correspondent visited the once-green Dharaborosa Char Tuesday, he saw felling of large trees went unabated across the area despite the claim of tender being suspended.

Hamidul, son of Shonaher, and Kamal, son of Moslem from the Dharaborosa Char have been hired for cutting the trees along with 60 others.

"We cut at least 20,000 trees in the course of three years," Hamidul told The Daily Star. They said no one dared to protest as these trees were sold to BNP activists from time to time.

About 12 years ago, former deputy commissioner Nuruzzaman Bhuiyan took the initiative to recover the Dharaborosa Char from the land grabbers by planting samplings across the 1,200 hectare land, which is being devoured by the river Jamuna.

Responding to his call, 30 government offices including 11 upazila authorities planted over 30,000 samplings there.