& çâÌæÚUæð´ ·¤è ¥ôÚU Îð¹Ùæ ÁæÚUè ÚU¹ð´ ¥ÍæüÌ ¥ÂÙð ÜÿØ ÂÚU ŠØæÙ ÚU¹ð´Ð ãæÚU Ù ×æÙð´, €UØô´ç·¤ ·¤æ× ·¤ÚUÙð âð ¥æÂ·¤ô ©gðàØ ·¤è Âýæç# ãôÌè ãñ ¥õÚU ÁèßÙ ·¤æ ¹æÜèÂÙ ÎêÚU ãôÌæ ãñÐ ÖÜð ãè ÁèßÙ ×ð´ ç·¤ÌÙè Öè ·¤çÆÙæ§ü €UØô´ Ù ¥æ°, çÁ™ææâæ ¥õÚU ©ˆâæã ÕÙæ° ÚU¹ð´Ð ŠØæÙ ÚU¹ð´, ÜÿØ ã×ðàææ ¥æÂ·Ô¤ Âæâ ãôÌð ãñ´ çÁ‹ãð´ ÂæÙð ·Ô¤ çÜ° ÂýØæâ ¥æÂ ·¤Öè Öè àæéM¤ ·¤ÚU â·¤Ìð ãñ´Ð

Forestland grabbed for ’fruit garden’

AL lawmaker of Netrakona takes 14 acres in 'public interest' despite forest dept's objection

Shakhawat Liton
A ruling Awami League lawmaker in Netrakona has grabbed around 14 acres of forestland including a hill and planted orange and palm saplings.
The local forest department, custodian of the land, had objected to the plantation under development, but Mostak Ahmed Ruhi. MP from Netrakona-1. did not pay heed.
Instead, he has recruited some guards and engaged AL activists to keep watch on the saplings.
Abdul Motaleb. acting chief conservator of forest, has informed the environ-
ment and forest ministry of the developments, said officials.
Ruhi however denies the allegations and claims he is doing all this for the welfare of the locals.
In a letter to the ministry last month, the forest department chief wrote that Ruhi along with 100/150 party men planted saplings on a 14-acre forestland at Bijoypur of Durgapur range under Mymensingh forest division in June.
As forest officials objected, the MP asked them to help his men with the planting, and said if necessary he would communicate with the ministry, read the letter quoting the forest conservator for
central region.
If grabbing like this continues, the forest department might lose control over all forestland, fear officials.
Talking to The Daily Star over phone on Tuesday, the AL lawmaker said he is only implementing a project to set up a "food village" in the public interest.
He said so far he has planted around 800 orange and palm saplings.
He started developing the plantation soon after taking oath as MP in January, and has already spent aroundTk 5 lakh.
He has plans to plant saplings of strawberry and other fruits as well.
SEE PAGE 15 COL 7 FROM PAGE 1
“The forest department does not own the land. It's the land ministry, and I have applied to them for a lease on the land two weeks ago in the name of Spirutak Agro Association," Ruhisaid.
"Personally, I have nothing to gain from the garden. The poor people will benefit from the project. Locals will be able to have saplings from the garden once it is developed," headded.
During a visit to the area recently, this correspondent saw orange and palm saplings planted on the slopes of a hill that is used as a BDR watchtower.
Saplings have been planted also in places adjacent to the hill.
Nikhlas Richil, a guard appointed by the lawmaker, said he stays on hilltop in the daytime to watch over the saplings. Besides, he said, the MP's men are always around.
The plantation is locally known as "orange garden of the MP”, and no-one dares to enter it.