The Chittagong Hill Tracts: Man-Nature Nexus Torn

The Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) has lost its majestic look. The hills are barren today. The forest resources have decreased to such a great extent that official logging that the Bangladesh Forest Industry Development Corporation (BFIDC) had performed for decades has come to an end. The Kaptai Dam, Karnaphuli Paper Mill (KPM) and other ‘development icons’ manifest concrete evidence of the ecological devastation today. The indigenous peoples who had a free run in the forest for generations now witness their nexus with nature torn. This is an unprecedented ecocide for the Chittagong Hill Tracts. This report compiles facts, thoughts, critiques, and analyses about how the natural heritage and ecology of the CHT have been torn.