For all latest news, follow The Financial Express Google News channel.
Environment, Forest and Climate Change Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan has said that any influential person involved in encroaching on forest land will face the full force of the law.
She sounded the warning a day after the Forest Department reclaimed 55 acres of land reportedly under the illegal possession of Ershad Mahmud, the younger brother of former foreign and environment minister and Awami League joint general secretary Hasan Mahmud, bdnews24.com reports.
The land was reclaimed during a raid in the Sukbilas village of the Padua Union in Chattogram’s Rangunia Upazila on Monday.
For over a decade, Ershad had been clearing forest trees and occupying the land to build six houses for a dairy farm.
He had grabbed Forest Department land near the Dashmail area on the Rangamati-Bandarban road, constructing a park and restaurant named Muktijoddha Park.
He also created three ponds in a hilly area by blocking water flow.
However, the Forest Department has not provided any information regarding legal actions against the encroachers after reclaiming the land.
When contacted on Tuesday, Rizwana told bdnews24.com: "I saw [on Monday] that it has been evicted. There are more such incidents in Bangladesh. I will establish a system where ministers, officials, NGOs, land grabbers—whoever illegally occupies protected forest land or any other land—will face punishment."
"Illegally occupying forest department land is a criminal offence. Whoever does it will have to face consequences,” added Rizwana, herself an award-winning activist campaigning for environmental justice for decades.
“The government is currently busy dealing with the floods. I know this area has been cleared, and more [illegal establishments] will be evicted. We will try to bring all the criminals together and ensure they face justice."