Habibul Haque, Barbakia Range Officer under Chattogram South Forest Division, has been accused of selling the seized hill sand.
It was known that in 2020, a syndicate led by Abdul Jalil and Shaker Ullah of Ramiz Para area of Toitong Union of Pekua Upazila cut the hills and made two huge sand heaps. At that time, the upazila administration raided and seized about 10 lakh cubic feet of sand and handed it over to the forest department. After three and a half years, Barbakia Range Officer Habibul Haque sold the sand to Shaker Ullah and Abdul Jalil for Tk 15 lakh.
Zaker Hossain, a social worker and resident of Toitong Bonkanan area, said Ranger Habib sold the sand for Tk 15 lakh in February this year.
HM Nazrul, organizing secretary of Cox's Bazar district unit of Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (BAPA), said those who are instigating the destruction of hills and nature should be identified and action should be taken according to the law.
Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Md Saiful Islam said, "I have not been Pekua for a long time. I came to know that there were three large piles of sand cut in the forest of Toitong. We will take action on the other two subject to investigation."
Denying the allegations, Barbakia Range Officer Habibul Haque said, "These are the conspiracy of some local hill eaters. Asked where the sand dunes went. I can't say anything about it now. I have to take permission from the higher authorities."
Abdullah Al Mamun, forest officer of Chattogram South Forest Division, said no one has the right to sell any property of the forest area. If anyone does this, it is completely illegal. We will investigate the matter and take action.
ZH
