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Govt forestlands recovered from 'grabber' in Bhaluka

Drive to continue, officials say

AMINUL ISLAM, Mymensingh
The Mymensingh district administration has recovered 561 acres of forestland grabbed by Orion Trading House in Habirbari forest bit under Bhaluka Range.
The grabbers recently raised a huge boundary wall around the grabbed land. The administration demolished the wall and recovered the lands on Thursday, official sources said.
The administration also demolished another wall raised by another land grabber in Bhaluka Forest Range, they said.
The drive was led by First Class Magistrate Atiqur Rahman. Additional Police Superintendent Md Ataur Rahman, Bhaluka Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Nanda Dulal Banik, Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Md Akbar Hossain and Assistant Conservator of Forest (ACF) in Badar Range Md Hossain were also present, among others, when police and forest guards demolished the walls and recovered the lands.
According to Forest Department sources, the trading house recently grabbed 561 acres of forestland in Habirbari bit under Bhaluka Range
and raised a boundary wall. This created a dispute between the reading house and Forest Department officials. Some officials and employees of Forest Department were also assaulted by some hired musclemen of the trading house. As this was reported to the administration, they launched the drive and took the action against the grabbers and their hired musclemen. After receiving the complaint, the administration asked the trading house to submit papers in support of their claim on the lands. But it failed to establish their ownership.
Bhaluka UNO Nanda Dulal Banik told this correspondent that Orion Trading House had been constructing boundary walls for sometime. They did not stop the encroachment even after directive from the local administration, he said.
After the demolition, DFO Md. Akbar Hossain told newsmen that all attempts by Orion Trading to grab forestlands have been foiled and such eviction would continue against all grabbers.
According to sources at the Divisional Forest office here, 36106.10 acres out of 710191.03 acres of forest land in Mymensingh, Netrokana, Sherpur and Jamalpur districts were grabbed in last 40 years. The grabbed lands included 29915.29 acres in Mymensingh.
On contact, Mymensingh Deputy Commissioner Shah Alam Bakshi told The Daily Star that the administration took action against Orion Trading after examining papers and spot visits. “Grabbing of government forestland can not be compromised in the interest of the state”, he said.
“It will take time to recover all forestlands. Many cases have been filed against the grabbers and action can not be taken till their disposal”, he said.
Officials of the trading house could not be contacted for comments despite repeated attempts.
According to Forest Department sources, at least eight industries have been set up on 280.50 acres of grabbed forestland. More eleven industrial groups have hung their signboards on to establish industries on 280.56 acres of land located at Habirbari, Jamirdia, Mehrabari, Kathali and Dhamsur in Habirbari forest bit under Bhaluka Range.