AB Razzak

Allegation have been found against an influential syndicate of hill cutting at Satkania in Chittagong.

It is alleged that Joint Convener of Awami Swachhasebak League of Kotwali police station in Chittagong city Md Jahed emerged as the head of this illegal hill cutting syndicate. He not only did the mountain swallow, the syndicate also cut down many trees of valuable species in the hills.

A case has also been filed for hill cutting with the help of excavators day after day. This illegal hill cutting is going on near the Keranihat-Bandarban road in Baradwara Moinyar Tech area of Bajalia Union of the upazila.

When this correspondent contacted Beat Officer Mostafizur Rahman to find out about this, he said that he was recently transferred from Satkania Baradura Bit. He also said, due to lack of manpower in bit, it was not possible to take action against that powerful syndicate. Moreover, they were all members of Awami League. The syndicate men were with weapons while cutting the hills. He also said that the Department of Environment has filed a case in this incident.

Md.Afzarul Islam, Assistant Director of Chittagong Office of Department of Environment was not available as he did not receive the call.

When asked about the complaint, Jaheed denied the allegations. He claims, I don't do soil business. Actually I am not involved in hill cutting. I don't even know who cut it. If the hill was not cut, why Jaheed made the main defendant in the case?

After investigation, it was found that Nuru, Moktar and Alamgir worked as second in command of the accused Awami Swechchhasebak League leader. Some other influential local Awami League leaders and activists have been accused of being associated with them. Talking with the locals, it is learnt that Jahed's house is in Baradwara Sikdar Para area of Ward No. 8 of Bajalia Union in Satkania. He is the son of Muhammad Yunus of that area.

On the spot it is seen that there are several hills owned by the Baradwara Forest Bit cum Check Station under the Padua Range of Chittagong South Forest Division in the Moinyar Tek area of Khaldiyar, Bajalia, Satkaniya, bordering the hilly district of Bandarban.

There are government Akashmani gardens on the hills on the eastern and northern sides. There are agar gardens on the western and southern hills. There was a small hill on the north side of the Keranihat-Bandarban road in the Moinyar Tech area. There were several hundred year old mother trees on that hill.

Besides, there were several Akashmani trees suitable for cutting. Now only one roaring tree survives there. The gang cut down all the remaining trees. Almost half of the hill has been cut and sold by the influential soil syndicate led by the Awami Swechhabak League leader Md Jahed.

Locals say, being the leader of the Awami Swechchhasebak League, the Forest Department did nothing to them . On condition of anonymity, some locals said that the officials managed the bit office in collaboration with the hill cutters.

Assistant Director of Department of Environment Chittagong office filed a case against 9 people including Md Jahed.and Afzarul Islam, Alamgir, Mokhtar Ahmed, Md. Nuru, Akbar Hossain, Md. Farooq, Md. Rubel, Md. Nurul Islam and Zainul Abedin.