Special Correspondent

During the tenure of the Interim Government, every department was supposed to be reformed, but there was no minimum reform in the Forest Department.

The top officials, including the secretaries who were involved in the overall corruption of the Forest Ministry of the previous government, are still out of touch. They were blessed by the Hasina's government. They created a record of corruption and still doing that . Bypassing the concerned advisers, they are continuing alleged corruption and looting in the previous ways.

In a notification dated 8/10/2024, the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Climate Change has transferred 21 officers at the level of Divisional Forest Officers of Bangladesh Forest Department.

The re-appointment of some officers who created a corruption record with the blessings of the previous Hasina government to lucrative posts has sparked anger among those deprived of employment who have been in dumping postings for a long time. They have alleged bribery worth crores of taka behind the appointment of this transfer. They seek immediate intervention of the Adviser to reconsider this illegal appointment- transfer orders.

Among the officials who have created a record of corruption are the controversial and dysfunctional officials accused in departmental cases.

Divisional Forest Officer of Sundarban West Forest Department Abu Naser Mohsin Hossain has been posted in the coveted Tangail Forest Division.

It has been alleged that he has earned hundreds of crores of illegal money through reckless corruption from working in Sundarban West Forest Division for 4 years. He addressed the former deputy forest minister Begum Habibun Nahar as step-mother and earned crores of taka through fake bill -vouchers for looting, corruption, deforestation, outsourcing, recruitment of workers, bribery and trade projects.

In addition to his duties as a Divisional Forest Officer, he committed looting while serving as the project director of 4 projects namely Sundarbans Management Support Project, Tiger Conservation Project, Sundarbans Telecommunication Re-Establishment Project, Sheikh Russell Eco Park Projects. This official has embezzled the bulk of the money that each project has shown to be spent on fake vouchers by tendering fake vouchers to his own people.

Subordinate officers and employees claim that this will be proved if the on-site investigation is carried out on the activities of four projects.

Even after that, he is from Dhanbari Upazila of Tangail. Appointed again by Tangail Forest Department.

On the other hand, DFO of Tangail Forest Division, Md. Sazzaduzzaman identified himself as Sheikh Selim's man and looted Tangail Forest Division in the last 3 years.

He has been reassigned to the coveted Kaptai Pulpwood Plantation Division. Barishal Social Forest Department Divisional Forest Officer Dr. MA Awal was attached to the Forest Department after withdrawing the allegations of corruption and malfeasance just 6 months ago. In this order, he has been appointed to the coveted post of Sub Forest Conservation in Dhaka Central Region.

Nirmal Kumar Paul, Divisional Forest Officer Wildlife Management Nature Conservation Division Khulna committed massive corruption against him to get the work of the corrupt Awami League government's henchmen regarding the receipt of taka.

Chief Conservator of Forests appointed Mihir Kumar Dey, Conservator of Forests Khulna Circle as investigation officer on 26/09/2024 to investigate into the irregularities but for some mysterious reason, investigation repots against Forest Conservator Investigation Officer Mihir Kumar Dey and Nirmal Kumar Paul's corruption issue have not published for a long time.

Nirmal Kumar Paul is illegally working in the same forest department for 11 years under the political influence of his brother Joint Secretary Nimai Kumar Paul and Sheikh Helal.

In fact, it can be seen that Nirmal Kumar Paul has been appointed as the Divisional Forest Officer of Sundarban West Forest Division by rewarding him instead of taking action on his corruption (Sunderban West Forest Division has about Tk 200 crore worth of development projects under management). If it is revealed that Nirmal allegedly committed irregularities in one tender, then how will he implement the development works worth Tk 200 crores.

Sharmin Akhtar, Divisional Forest Officer, Wildlife Management and Nature Conservation Department, during his tenure in Dhaka, he carried out the activities of clearing controversial government land, as a result of which the Ministry transferred him to another place last April.

The notification shows that Sharmin Akhtar has been transferred again to the same Forest Department after 6 months. SM Sajjad Hossain, Divisional Forest Officer, was transferred to Rajshahi School in the month of April due to desecration of disputed government land during his employment in Forest Department. The notification shows that DFO Sajjad has been transferred again after 6 months to the coveted Rangamati South Forest Division.

It is mentionable that this Sajjad Hossain has been transferred for the 5th time in 2 years i.e. from Sylhet Forest Division to Social Forest Division, Bagerhat, Social Forest Division from Bagerhat to Forest Practical Division Chittagong and Forest Practical Division from Chittagong to Dhaka Forest Division and Dhaka Forest Division from Rajshahi. What is the reason for the mysterious transfer to the school?

Kabir Hossain Patwary Divisional Forest Officer has been transferred from Chittagong Forest Academy to Social Forest Department, Barishal

Besides, posrs of assistant forest officers have been lying vacant but 13 to 14 officees have not been posted due to reasons best known to the authority.