Vast land of Lawachherra reserve forest grabbed

Sangram Datta: Hundreds acres of land of Lawachherra reserve forest in  Kamalganj and Srimangal upazillas of the Moulvibazar district in Bangladesh were oppupied by some influential people and top ranking political leaders.

Local influential public representatives occupied  reserved forest land in the name of gardening. The forest department has compelled to remain silent in spite of Knowing everything. As a result, Forests lost diversity and Wildlife and local foresters are under threat.

According to sources, The powerful gangs grabbed a vast acres of land of Lawachherra reserve forest and built tea estate, lemon and
pineapple gardens, resorts etc.

A few years ago, Barrister Saydul Haque Suman shared a video in  his Facebook Live saying that hundreds of acres of land of the Lauachara reserve forest have been occupied by some influential leaders and  built tea gardens.  

In addition, it is also known that a section of influential leaders and gangs have occupied the forest land and built some resorts and different types of gardens. Various kinds of Reports  were published in newspapers and TV channels in this regard.

Valuable Trees and bamboos worth about crores of taka of the Sylhet reserve forest including Lawachherra forest and tea estates were pandered by organized gangs of bandits in the past. Those influential quarters were involved in various big parties during the regimes of various political parties. As a result, influential organized planderers remained untouched.

It's also heard that many of them became tycoons and leaders of big parties overnight. Some of them  spent crores of taka like water to purchase votes and become public representatives during the various polls.
Although the powerful and organized gangs are engaged in different parties, they are said to be united in looting and grabbing. When one group leaves, the other group gives shelter.  

Rumors are heard that some electronic, print media and citizen journalists are
paid monthly money by the influential moneyedmen to cover news items on their respective Facebook IDs and media in their favor.

It is learnt that organized criminal gangs cheat the common people creating the sand syndicate, land grabbing syndicate and what not.

 One old woman died on the spot and a child were smashed under the wheels of a truck which carrying illegally lifted
sand at Patrikul village in Srimangal upazila of the district.The child suffered unbearable pain and died on the way to Moulvibazar District Sadar Hospital on July -1. Then, locals demonstrated and raised slogans as bribe takers in front of the OC, UNO and Upazilla chairman.

A few years ago,  a student was also crushed under the wheels of a truck carrying illegally lifted sand  at Huglia area in Sindurkhan union under Srimangal upazilla.

It is known that some influential people who made some land brokers in different areas and tactfully harras peace loving and innocent people in various ways and buy the land from them. Even, a section of newsmen also involved in land brokery.

The circle is led by some influential leaders.  Ordinary people do not want to open their mouth for fear of life because powerful godfathers are behind the brokers. Many people don't even want to file case for fear of harrasment.

In last year, The husband of Maleka Begum, a woman member of Srimangal Union Parishad, forcibly cut and took soil from the fallen land of former chairman Rasendra Datta at village Noagaon in Srimangal upazilla. The intention  is that the owner of the land, being harrased, will sell his land like water price or quit the area  putting land.

Md. Abu Bakkar and Md. Ankar of the same village also grabbed some land of eminent person Rasendra Datta in two separate places.
Such incidents happened in the past and are happening yet. The matter is an open secret to everyone.  But no one discloses for fear of security.

In the past, Harun and Joynal Gang took signatures of only one sister and brothers of former chairman Rasendra Datta on the 13 inche stamp of with a view to grabbing his valuable land property ( Rasendra Datta) forcibly, But this plan went in vain when local  police and the srimangal municipal mayor Ahad Miah intervined.
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