Death Marketing -2

Tobacco aggression on riverbanks threatening aquatic resources

About 80 per cent of the arable lands in Bandarban district are under tobacco cultivation. Tobacco has occupied the riverbanks and fallow lands on the river side. The local administration is still inactive being notified about the entire tobacco farming aggression. Although it is legally banned to grow tobacco on the fallow lands within the distance of 60 feet from Matamuhuri River, the directive is being ignored. The farmers are growing tobacco on the government fallow land with the inspiration of the tobacco companies. Consequently, the hilly areas in Bandarban including the rivers, natural environment, forestlands and wild lives are under severe risks and the risk is increasing gradually.