Jafor Alam, Cox’s Bazar

In Cox’s Bazar, river occupation, destruction of parabon and indiscriminate felling of trees are going on.This destructive work is going on anonymously in the name of influential people of different levels starting from local powerful people.Cox’s Bazar
About fifteen thousand trees of the naturally formed forest on the banks of Bankkhali river have been cut down overnight.The Department of Environment has filed a case against 42 people, including anonymous ones, by mentioning the names of 22 people involved in the construction of the facility by filling, occupying and destroying the Bankkhali river.Saiful Islam assistant director of the Cox’s Bazar office of the environment department, filed the case with the Cox’s Bazar Sadar Model Police Station on Tuesday night (February 22).Earlier on December 2, the Department of Environment had filed another case mentioning the names of 7 people.Meanwhile, even after filing two cases in a row with the Department of Environment, the activities of occupying the Bankkhali river and filling it, construction of installations, destruction of parabons, dams at high tide and filling of reservoirs have not

stopped.Going to the Kasturaghat section of the Bankkhali river on Wednesday (February 23), a gruesome picture was seen of the river being occupied, filled and constructed.  For the last four months, the occupiers have continued to commit crimes recklessly as they have not been able to evict the illegal establishments even though the installations have been constructed by occupying and filling the river.Expressing concern, he said, “Although the occupation of rivers and flooding of water bodies and destruction of parabons by tidal dams in the ecologically critical areas have continued for the last four months, the district administration and land administration have not carried out any eviction drive till date.The occupiers are being encouraged to commit criminal acts. He demanded immediate eviction to protect Bankkhali river and parabon.
Sheikh Mohammad Nazmul Huda, Deputy Director Cox’s Bazar Office, Department of Environment said,  We have filed two cases. But eviction requires a magistrate.  We have asked the district administration for a magistrate.  He will be evicted as soon as the magistrate is found.The names of 22 people have been mentioned in the statement as occupation of Bankkhali river and destruction of parabon.The accused are: Yusuf, Ashiq, Kapil Uddin, Mizanur Rahman, Jasim Uddin, Kamal Majhi, Rukan Uddin, Nurul Abshar, Nurul Huda, Nurul Amin, Mostafa Kamal, Jahedul Islam Shiblu, Amir Ali, Omar Farooq, Shariful Alam Chowdhury, Mahmudul Karim,Md  Sohail, Jasim Uddin, Zia, Kalimullah, Khorshed Alam Chowdhury, Firoz Ahmed and Delwar Hossain.Besides, 15 to 20 more people have been made anonymous accused.The accused have been accused of violating Bangladesh Environmental Law by cutting down naturally occurring parabens and filling up reservoirs and constructing structures.Seen on the spot,The occupation and pollution of the river at Badramokam Jame Mosque Point in Kasturaghat of Cox’s Bazar town on the Bankkhali River has been going on for many years.  Not just cutting down trees, the river is being openly occupied, filled and polluted.  Tin fences are being cut down.  Even the construction work is going on openly by cutting down the trees of Parabon and filling the river by bringing soil in a dump truck.  Many occupants have again put up signboards.  Occupiers have even been involved in bird hunting and destruction of bird habitats in Parabon.  Where the tide of the river is still flowing, various structures are being built.  Huge natural parabens are being cut off to fill the river.  This is destroying the habitat of different species of birds in this natural paragon. Conflicts are also going on among the occupiers over the occupation and eviction of these paravans. However, several occupiers claim that most of the places where they are cutting down trees and cultivating land are privately owned.  In support of this, they have the ledger and the last year’s rent payment submission.