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Jhau Plunder

147 sued; Tk 4cr sought from them

A Correspondent, cox 's Bazar
Forest Department yesterday filed a case against 147 persons, including three leaders of local Awami League and Jubo League, seeking Tk 4.08 crore as compensation on charge of destroying the Jhau (tamarisk) garden onTeknaf beach in Cox's Bazar.
The forest department mentioned names of 87 accused including AL president of Sabrang Union unit under Teknaf upazila Zahed Hossain, Teknaf Upazila Jubo League General Secretary Noor Hossain and Vice President Ejahar Miah in the case.
Hasan Al Tarik, Shahparir Dwip beat officer under Teknaf range of the coastal forest department, filed the case with Teknaf Police Station.
All the accused are residents of Sabrang union. The forest department also accused 60 unidentified persons in the case.
Jamal Uddin Chowdhury, officer-in-charge (OC) of Teknaf Police Station, confirmed the incident and said attempts were on to arrest the accused in the case.
Plaintiff Hasan Al Tarik said the departmental investigation committee formed to probe into the felling of Jhau trees on Teknaf beach has already visited the spot, talked to different quarters concerned and prepared a list of the persons involved with the crime. The list of the persons involved includes leaders and workers of ruling AL, Jubo League and opposition BNP
According to the first information report (FIR), about 200 to 300 workers led by some leaders and workers of ruling party entered the Jhau garden developed by the forest department on about 260 acres land including 50 acres in Katabunia, Kachubunia and Khurer Mukh under Sabrang mouja and felled 17,500 Jhau trees between September 5 and 10. They also took away the trees, the FIR said.
The forest department created the Jhau garden in 1995. On May 20. 1999 the government declared the area as environmentally endangered and banned cutting trees, change of land use and construction of embankment there.
The FIR also mentioned break-up of compensation demanded for different types of loss caused to the Jhau garden.
Teknaf upazila Jubo League General Secretary and Sabrang Union Parishad member Noor Hossain has been made the main accused in the case. Besides, more than 50 leaders, workers and supporters of the ruling party including Noor Hossain’s elder brother and Khair Hossain have also been accused in the case.
Other accused in the case include Teknaf upazila BNP Organising Secretary and Sabrang UP member Sultan Ahmed and former member Foyezur Rahman.
BNP leader Sultan Ahmed said, "I was involved with the movement to save the Jhau garden all along. Now they have accused me in Jhau garden destruction case. The masterminds of the Jhau tree
cutting conspiratorially included my name in the case."
AL leader Zahed Hossain said a vested quarter has accused him and his two brothers in the Jhau tree fellingcase to tarnish the image of the government. He claimed that no one of them was involved with destruction of the Jhau garden.
On September 9, about 200 miscreants cut some 20,000 Jhau trees on 250 acres government land ofTeknaf beach. A stir was created when different national dailies including The Prothom Alo and The Daily Star published reports along with pictures on this crime. Prime minister Sheikh Hasina ordered arrest of those involved with destruction of Jhau trees.
A three-member investiga-tion committee led by Chittagong Divisional Commissioner MN Siddiqui visited Teknaf sea beach on September 20. The divisional commissioner ordered the forest officials concerned to prepare a list of those involved with the felling of Jhau trees and file compensation case.
Divisional Forest Officer MA Khaleque said four forest officials including local forest range officer Golam Mostafa have already been suspended for their failure to save the Jhau garden. The forest guards have been alerted so that the miscreants cannot cut the remaining Jhau garden there.
Deputy Commissioner Gias Uddin Ahmed said the 260 acres of land on which the Jhau garden has been destroyed is now under the control of Land Administration.
Police Superintendent Md Sakhawat Hossain said the forest department officials conducted an enquiry and later filed a case against the accused. Police will arrest the accused to implement PM's order, the SP added.
Teknaf thana police has already arrested 14 persons involved with cutting of the Jhau trees.