The seized machines in Dhubri on Wednesday. Telegraph picture

Dhubri, June 12: The haul of band saw machines by forest department personnel in Baburhat char (river island) of Dhubri district today revealed that the entire char area of Dhubri district has become a big den of timber smuggling which was hitherto been confined to areas close to forests.

Forest officials in a recent drive against illegal sawing and smuggling of timbers have seized four band saw machines, 22 bench saws and circular band machines over the past three years from various parts of Dhubri district.

Amzad Hussain, a social worker of Nayer-Alga char village, alleged that numerous chars, particularly those located on the Brahmaputra had turned into dens of illegal timber trade.

“Phulkatari is a char village near Panbari where illegally-sawn timbers are openly sold in the market, but forest official have never dared to raid it. Like Phulkatari, there are at least 50 illegal timber markets, including Falimari char near Dhubri town,” Hussain alleged.

Source said besides char areas, a large number of bench saw mills were being run by timber smugglers in South Salmara-Mancachar subdivision of Dhubri district with timber logs from West Garo Hills district of Meghalaya.

There is a well-knit racket active in running illegal timber trade along the Assam-Bengal border from timbers of Choto Guma and Guma forest areas of Dhubri and Kokrajhar districts, he added.

Sources in Chagolia said huge quantity of timbers — to the tune of nearly 1,000 cubic feet — are reportedly being smuggled out to the neighbouring districts of north Bengal through village route where there is hardly any presence of forest officials and law-enforcing agencies.

Dhubri divisional forest officer Mohibul Ahmed said he had ordered all the range and beat offices under the division to crack down on timber smuggling and illegal sawing.

“The order is yielding results as many bench saw mill machinery and timbers have been seized in the past few months. In order to stop this illegal trade, we will soon launch vigorous raids based on specific information,” Ahmed added.