Hill levelled to make plots in Matiranga
Plots are being developed near Chharpara under Matiranga upazila.Photo: Zobaer Hossain Sikder
Plots are being developed near Chharpara under Matiranga upazila in the hill district of Khagrachhari, defying the ban on hill cutting under the nose of the administration. An influential quarter already has levelled over four acres of hilly land and built houses, business centres, madrasas and other structures without following any environment-friendly plan, sources said. They are making over 25 plots and selling each plot at Tk 4 to 5 lakh and thus fetching hefty amount of money ignoring serious threat to lives, natural environment and biodiversity of the hill district. Locals alleged that three people are involved in the crime with the help of a section of government officials as they hold important positions in some committees in the administration. The influential people include some dishonest businessmen, sources said. The buyers of the plots said they paid more than Tk 5 lakh to both police and administration for developing the plots. When asked Matiranga Upazila Community Police Secretary Mohammad Jasim Uddin said he bought the land two years ago and now building houses there. He said he is not cutting any hill, rather former owners of the land did it. Upazila Durniti Pratirodh Committee Chairman Abdur Rahim denied the allegation of misusing administration, saying that the hill has been levelled during the construction of Matiranga bazar bridge. He said they have not given any bribe to police or officials in this regard. But he refused to comment in this regard in front of the officials. Businessman Julhash Uddin said local people always cut hill for construction. He said hill people need no permission from the Department of Environment (DoE) for construction as they live in the hill areas. He said they manage the people concerned in the administration and there is nothing wrong with doing so. "If you wish you can write against us. We would face it legally," he told this correspondent. Former Matiranga upazila chairman Nasir Uddin Chowdhury said hill cutting goes on unabated in front of the officials. None is there to stop it as a section of officials are involved with it, he said. Network member of Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers' Association (BELA) Muhammad Abu Daud said local environmental activists and journalists filed several general diaries with local police stations in Khagrachhari in regard to hill cutting. But the administration is yet to take any effective steps to protect the hills from depletion. NGO Global Village Executive Director Fazle-Elahi said plunderers always cut hill, causing threat to environment. He said due to unabated hill cutting properties are damaged and rivers and canals filled up, causing flash floods in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT). He urged the administration to take stern action against the perpetrators of hill cutting. Matiranga Upazila Nirbahi Officer Mohammad Mustafizur Rahman said he has joined the upazila administration few months ago and he is not aware of such an incident. When asked about the involvement of a section of officials, he denied the allegation.
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