Sakhipur (Tangail) Correspondent
53,000 eucalyptus and acacia saplings, known to be harmful to the environment, have been destroyed in Sakhipur, Tangail. On Tuesday (July 8), 53,000 seedlings were destroyed by the Upazila Agricultural Extension Department, in collaboration with the Upazila administration, to provide compensation to nursery owners. Upazila Executive Officer Abdullah Al Roni and Upazila Agriculture Officer, Agriculturist Niyanta Barman jointly conducted the sapling destruction program. Earlier, local nursery owners and the general public were informed about the environmental damage caused by eucalyptus and akashmani trees. Such trees are said to rapidly deplete soil water levels and have a negative impact on biodiversity. The demolition activities were carried out at Shaheed Private Nursery, Sanwar Nursery, Mayer Doa Nursery and the nurseries of Shahjahan Mia, Kamal Hossain, Nurul Islam, Jahangir Alam, Babul Mia and Abdur Rahim located in the Shola Pratima area of the upazila. Upazila Executive Officer Abdullah Al Roni said that legal action will be taken against anyone who tries to produce or market these seedlings in the future. Strict monitoring will be carried out in addition to increasing public awareness to protect the environment. Upazila Agriculture Officer and agriculturist Niyanta Barman said that 53,000 seedlings have already been destroyed to provide compensation to the owners. All nurseries and privately produced eucalyptus and acacia saplings in the upazila will be destroyed in phases. It is worth noting that the Ministry of Environment and Forests has long identified eucalyptus and akasamoni as trees harmful to the environment and is discouraging their planting. The production and planting of eucalyptus and acacia saplings in the country was banned on May 15, 2025, by the government’s Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, as they are not environmentally friendly.