A. B. Razzak

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has found evidence of various corruptions including irregularities, embezzlement of allocated funds, transfers and promotions in the implementation of various projects of the Forest Department.

On February 24, the agency's enforcement unit conducted a raid at the Forest Building in Agargaon on charges of these irregularities.

The nforcement team submitted the report on Wednesday (Feb 26). The raid was conducted by the enforcement team led by ACC Assistant Director Md. Ismail.

During the raid, Chief Conservator of Forests ( CCF) Md. Amir Hossain Chowdhury, Deputy Chief Conservator of Forests and Project Director of Sustainable Forest and Livelihood (Sufal) Project Govinda Roy and other concerned officials were questioned and important records were collected.

The report shows that Chief Conservator of Forests Md. Amir Hossain Chowdhury has a lack of transparency and accountability in administrative activities. Evidence of serious irregularities has been found in the lack of transparency in financial transactions and project implementation in the case of transfers and postings.

During interrogation, questions were raised about the transparency of the money spent on various projects of his department, but he could not give any satisfactory explanation about the irregularities in the implementation of the projects. In addition, allegations of irregularities in transfers and promotions under his supervision have emerged. Information has been found of transfers and appointments to important posts in exchange for financial benefits, ignoring the prescribed policies.

Irregularities in project implementation in the department are so glaring that a crisis of accountability has arisen among the officials of the Forest Department. Violation of transfer and posting policies and spread of corruption have made the project implementation activities of the Forest Department practically ineffective.

The initial review found that although the transfer and promotion of officers and employees of the Forest Department were supposed to be done as per the ‘Policy on Transfer of Officers and Employees of the Forest Department, 2004’, this was not followed. Information was found of transfers and postings through illegal financial transactions in the range and station postings of various forest departments, in which the direct or indirect role of the Chief Conservator of Forests was evident.

Also, although there was a plan to create 872 hectares of nurseries and afforestation under the Sustainable Forest and Livelihood (SUFAL) project in the last two fiscal years, the investigation found that no afforestation was done in a significant part. In some areas, only a few saplings were planted to define the boundaries.

During the operation, it was also learned that in the fiscal year 2022-23, although there was an allocation for creating new gardens in 510 hectares of forest land in the Joarianala Bit area of Ramu upazila, in reality, only 160 hectares were afforested. Similarly, irregularities have also been reported in the 362-hectare Afforestation Project of the fiscal year 2023-24. The lack of cooperation and monitoring by the Chief Conservator of Forests is evident in the wastage and embezzlement of money in these projects.

The enforcement team also learned that in most areas, the allocated money has been embezzled in the name of planting saplings. Government signboards have been installed where there are no trees. Most of the planted saplings have died due to lack of care. The commission will take further steps after analyzing the report received through this drive and legal action will be taken against those concerned.