Using more than 1,000 illegal dumpers and excavators, forests and hills under Ukhia of Cox's Bazar are being cut and devastated by eight influential syndicates.
By being crushed under the wheels of those high-speed dumpers driven by inefficient drivers, common people are often losing their lives.
The orgy of destruction of the environment could not be checked due to the reluctance of the local Law Enforcement Agency members to take any action against the identified criminals.
According to sources, more than 1,000 illegal dumpers are engaged in carrying soil to the brick fields, cutting topsoil of the crop fields, cutting off forests and hills and destroying the environment in Ukhiya daily.
Regular tolls are being collected from these illegal Dumper Owners' Syndicate by Mamun of Ukhiya, Lal Bhutto of Rajapalang and Sharif of Court Bazar.
Earlier, Salimullah was engaged in this toll collection.
Most of the collected tolls are allegedly paid to the Second Officer of Shahpuri Highway Police Outpost Nazmul.
It was not possible to contact Nazmul over his mobile phone for comment in connection with such activities.
Ukhiya Forest Range Office sources informed, at least 15 persons including a soil thief were killed during the cutting of hills during the last three years.
290 cases have been filed against the illegal hill-cutting syndicate leaders and members in 2021.
Of the accused in the cases, 193 are identified accused persons while the rest are unidentified.
At least 19 illegal Dumpers were seized while illegally cutting hills during the last one year.
Several responsible government officials have been the victims of the attack while resisting the cutting of forests and hills.
Of them, the names of Ukhia Range Officer Gazi Shafiul Alam, Upazila PIO Al Mamun and Ali Ahmed are mentionable.
In the early morning of 31 March, the Beat Officer of Duchhari area Shazaduzzaman(30) was killed by crushing under the wheels of the dumper trucks.
A case was filed by Ukhia Range Officer Gazi Shafiul Alam accusing 10 persons in this connection on Sunday night, (April 1).
One accused of the case has been arrested and police were trying to arrest other accused, informed Officer in Charge of Ukhia Police Station Shamim Hossain.
Officer in Charge Shamim Hossain further mentioned he has no idea about realising tolls from the dumper owners. He assured to take action in this connection.
Requesting anonymity, one dumper owner informed, they were operating the illegal dumpers by managing he villagers and the headmen.
There are several hundred illegal dumper owners including Gofur Company, Badiul Alam, Shah Alam, Syed Alam, Helal driver(1), Kamal Uddin, Takia, Shahjahan, Anowar, Syed Hossain, Shahidullah, Taher Comopnay, Md. Helal(2), Rezaul Hasan, Bazlibor Mohammad, Shah Alam, Alauddin, Hasem, Jamal, HKamal, Nuru, Rabiul Alam, Hiru, Alamgir , Shafi, Mostak, Nasir, Nuru Majhi, Ibrahim, Nur Mohammad, Putu Company, Rabiul Hasan Rabin, Joinal, Rubel, Helal Uddin, Moulvi Rafik, Swapon Sharma, Sarwar and Shahjahan Member.
Anowar, President of Ukhila Press Club in this connection informed, illegal dumpers are identified by the administration.
Under the influence of black -money and political patronage, these syndicates were engaged in cutting hills and forests round the clock.
It will be hard to retain a liveable environment if no action is immediately taken against the illegal syndicates.
Imran Khan of BAPA, Ukhia unit informed, it was essential to stop leasing of canals by the name of the sand dunes.
Ukhia Range Officer Gazi Shafiul Alam informed, with limited number of manpower, he was trying to save the forest resources of the government.
On Sunday, he was attacked by the vested quarters and an honest official like Sazzad was killed because of their uncompromising stance.
The drive against the illegal hill and forest cutters will continue, he added.
