Our Correspondent, Bandarban
Joint forces have launched a special operation to destroy poppy fields in the areas near the border with Myanmar.
About 300 army and BDR personnel along with paratrooper commandos took part in the operation on Tuesday, official source told.
Security sources confirmed the operation, but did not give details. According to a local source, the paratroopers were dropped on some spots in deep forest area of Sangu reserved forest by military helicopters on Tuesday while army and BDR members reached the area a day before.
A BDR official seeking anonymity told this correspondent that joint forces have started combing each inch of land from Thanchi to Alikadam at Sangu reserved forest to destroy poppy fields.
“Eight to 10 criminal groups rule the whole poppy cultivation in the vast areas of the border and force the villagers to grow the plants,” said a local leader of Remakri Union under Thanchi upazilla.
Apru Mong, acting chairman of Tindu Union Parishad, said Sangu reserved forest contains 82,008 acres of khas land. Most of the land is covered by dense forest. Taking advantage of dense forest, criminals from Mayanmar, India and Bangladesh take shelter in the forest and carry out illegal activities.
Soi Aong Khumi, a village chief (Karbari) of an indigenous village said the criminals get facility to cultivate poppy as there is no villages in the area.
Poppy cultivation can be stopped if the government arranges settlements for indigenous people and sets up security camps in the reserve forest area, he added.
Courtesy: thedailystar.net
