Various Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO) working at Rohingya camp have occupied the reserved forest of the Forest Department in Ukhiya upazila of Cox’s Bazar and built their establishments there.
These NGOs have cleared out portions of the reserved forest in different areas and built their establishments there, inflicting damage to the environment and the biodiversity of the surrounding areas.
The Ukhiya range under Cox’s Bazar Forest Department already issued a notice against six NGOs complaining that they have illegally built structures in the reserved forest land and conducting their activities there. The complaint further stated that these structures are causing serious harm to the environment and biodiversity of the area.
The notice was issued on September 29 in 2024 signed by Imdadul Hossain, Officer of Ukhiya Sadar under Cox’s Bazar Forrest Department. It was mentioned in the notice that the accused NGOs have to give a formal reply regarding the matter within six working days. Otherwise legal actions will be taken against them. Among the NGOs that got the notice, there were BRAC, Maisha Enterprise, Jono Seba Kendra, WFP (World Food Programme), IOM (International Organization for Migration), and UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees) and other NGOs as well. They are conducting their activities for a long time now by illegally building structures in various reserved forest land of Ukhiya. This kind of activity is punishable under the Forrest Act, 1927, amended in 2000.
Although BRAC and Maisha Enterprise have sent their reply after they got the notice, Ukhiya Sadar bit Officer Imdadul Hasan said their replies do not have any legal basis.
Local sources said a land of the Forrest Department in Modhuchora area of Ukhiya was rented out to WFP with a monthly rent of Tk 7,50,000. An individual named AKM Azad said the notices issued by Forest Department is only a means of deceiving the public.
According to this correspondent, the reserved lands of the Forrest Department are being occupied by the influential day by day, which have a devastating impact on our environment. The Forest Department needs to take emergency measures to recover these lands and save the forest.
Karim Ullah Kalim, general secretary of Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (BAPA) Cox’s Bazar unit, said it is a good thing that Forest Department have issued a notice. I hope that they will soon conduct eviction drive and take stricter measures in future to prevent occupation.
Ukhiya Range Officer Gazi Md Shafiul Islam said he is unaware of how the NGOs operated during the arrival of Rohingya refugees in 2017. However, notices have recently been issued against them, and legal proceedings will be initiated step by step.
Ukhiya Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Tanvir Hossain said I am not directly informed about the matter. However, if the Forest Department issues a notice, necessary legal actions will be taken after verification and assessment.
The Forest Department's notice regarding the illegal construction in the reserved forest area of Ukhiya and the damage to the environment is being considered an important step. Local communities and environmental organizations demanded prompt and effective actions to ensure the protection of the forest and to prevent such illegal encroachments in the future.
