Illegal hill cutting going on unabated in Sylhet Sadar
Sylhet Bureau :
Illegal hill cutting is going on unabated in Khadimnagar under Sadar upazila of Sylhet.
Land traders backed by a section of local influential people are involved in the illegal acts.
Hill cutting has become more prominent in recent days.
Even though the matter has been verbally reported to the concerned authorities repeatedly, they are not taking any action, informed local residents said.
On Wednesday afternoon our correspondent went to Morargaon village of Ward No. 5 of Khadimnagar Union No. of Sylhet Sadar Upazila and saw that the soil has been cut by machine by making a hole of about 10 to 15 feet across a few hundred yards of Dulakona Adrikhairpar hill known as Jalal Mia’s old home.
An excavator can also be seen in the area.
From the last few days, sometimes in daylight or in the dark of night, an influential circle of the area has been taking soil from the hill and selling it to brick kilns, said several sources who did not want to reveal the name of the area.
Jalal Mia, son of Ino Mia of the area, claimed ownership of the hill according to the purchase order.
He said that his father bought this house around 1985 or 86 from Abdul Jalil, son of Abdur Razzak of the same area.
Although he lived here for a few years, he was forced to leave his home due to thieves and robbers and move to a neighboring village.
In this situation, since the time of the corona epidemic in 2020, land grabber Montaj and his family members have been trying to occupy it by claiming it as their own hill.
Jalal claimed ownership through purchase, but since he had no documents, Mantaz Ali kept cutting and selling soil for a long time.
In this regard, Jalal repeatedly complained to Sylhet Metropolitan Police Airport Police Station and Sylhet Sadar also to the Upazila Nirbahi Officer.
Mantaz Mia, who claims to be the owner of the government dune and sold the soil, said, I cut the dune and sold the soil. But when I found out that it was illegal, I told them.
And soil will not be taken from here. Liaqat Ali, one of the buyers of the soil said the same thing.
Sylhet Sadar Upazila Nirbahi Officer Nashrin Akhter said, “I sent team for investigation based on verbal complaint.”
I also received the report. I will hand it over to the task force in the next meeting.
He also said, “If someone cuts a hill during the day and informs me, I take immediate action.”
But if the soil is cut at night, in that case the task force will take action.
Meanwhile, Assistant Land Commissioner of Sylhet Sadar Asma Jahan said that the government does not know anything about this.
He is now in training. However, he assured that action would be taken if detailed information was given on the whole matter.
Sylhet Metropolitan Police Airport Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Main Uddin Shipon said, “We have conducted an operation.”
But I did not find anyone at the spot. They fled after getting information from the police.
