Baruna (Crataeva religiosa, Forst) is
a fast growing tropical hardwood species
found to grow sporadically in Bangladesh
near river banks and in swampy lands. The
wood is softer than many other indigenous
species with a yellowish-white to brown
colour. The wood has been reported to be a
good timber for turnery works and, as such,
used for making toys, cups, saucers and many
other small articles (Chowdhury and Ghosh
1958). But uptil now it is not utilised as an
industrial raw material in the country except
for fuel wood. A fast growing species as
it is, raising of Baruna plantations in
swamp forests as well as its possible uses
in wood-based industries of the country
was discussed in more than one meeting of
the ‘Research Consultative Committee’ held
in the Forest Research Institute, Chittagong.
In this context, the present research works
have been conducted in the Institute to study