Serious allegations have emerged over the indiscriminate felling of thousands of century-old trees at the premises of Nawab Askari Jute Mills Limited, a historic industrial establishment located on the bank of the Shitalakkhya River in Rupganj upazila of Narayanganj.
Environmentalists and stakeholders fear that the actions of land grabbers and criminal groups have pushed the riverbank ecosystem, biodiversity and nearby communities towards a severe environmental crisis.
In response, the authorities of Nawab Askari Jute Mills have submitted a written application to the Director General of the Department of Environment, seeking immediate intervention to stop the ongoing environmental destruction.
According to the application, Nawab Askari Jute Mills, established around 65 years ago, is spread over nearly 60 acres of land along the Shitalakkhya River. The industrial complex once housed thousands of century-old trees, natural gardens and a dense green belt along the riverbank, which for decades served as a natural barrier against river erosion while maintaining soil stability and ecological balance.
However, over the past year, an organised group of land grabbers and criminals allegedly infiltrated the mill premises illegally and forcibly evicted rightful stakeholders through intimidation, death threats and acts of violence. After gradually taking control of the property, the group began systematically cutting down century-old trees and selling them for profit.
The application further alleges that a fraudster posing as a “Nawab”—who has reportedly been arrested multiple times—illegally sold the trees to politically influential criminal groups without any legal authority. As a result, large-scale environmental destruction is taking place in open violation of the Environment Conservation Act, Forest Act and several other environmental laws.
Experts warn that the destruction is not limited to a single industrial property. The continued loss of trees poses a direct threat to the Shitalakkhya River, surrounding residential areas and the broader environmental system. If the tree felling continues unchecked, river erosion, land degradation and irreversible ecological damage may follow.
The mill authorities have demanded an immediate halt to all tree-cutting activities, strict legal action against land grabbers and illegal timber traders, an urgent on-site investigation under the supervision of the Department of Environment, and the implementation of effective protection measures to preserve the riverbank green belt.
Failure to act swiftly, they warned, could result in the permanent loss of a historic industrial site and a major environmental catastrophe in the Shitalakkhya river region.
