Controversial Kamalganj Range Officer transferred

Pritam Barua, the controversial Range Officer of the Rajkandi Forest Range in Moulvibazar’s Kamalganj upazila, has been transferred to Rangpur district.

The transfer order was issued while a high-level investigation into the felling of 1,200 fruit-bearing orange trees was underway.

Abdur Rahman, the Divisional Forest Officer of Sylhet, confirmed the matter on the night of Monday, August 3. He stated that Pritam Barua, along with several other forest officials, was transferred simultaneously under an order from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.

Previously allegations have surfaced that the Forest Department, under the guise of an eviction drive, cut down 1,200 orange trees-just as they were about to bear fruit-in the Kalinji area of the Adampur Forest Beat under the Rajkandi Forest Range in Kamalganj Upazila. Reports regarding the destruction of this orchard, owned by the couple Salma Begum and Alim Ullah, appeared in various media outlets, including the leading national daily Kalbela.

After the reports brought the matter to the administration’s attention Additional Divisional Commissioner Ashrafur from the Sylhet Divisional Commissioner’s office [took action] on July 22.

A three-member high-level inquiry committee was formed, headed by Rahman. The other two members of the committee are Shahina Akter, Additional Deputy Commissioner (Revenue) of Moulvibazar, and Md. Nazmul Alam, Assistant Conservator of Forests for the Sylhet Division.

On July 23, the committee visited the site and collected statements and documents from the concerned individuals. The investigation is currently ongoing, and the final report has not yet been released.