The list is based on a week-long field survey by seven DoE teams in Chittagong, Cox's Bazar and the three hill districts of Rangamati, Khagrachhari and Bandarban.

The DoE primarily identified over 200 individuals, organisations and business groups as plunderers of hills in 155 hilly areas in Chittagong Division that were subjected to illegal hill cutting over the last two decades.

Newly appointed DoE Director Nazmul Hoque said it is a tough job but they are trying hard to make a flawless list of those who devoured hills, and specify the areas where they did that.

Meanwhile, Chief Adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed during his visit here following the June 11 devastating landslide ordered the DoE divisional authorities to identify the plunderers of hills in Chittagong. The landslide left 227 people killed mainly in foothill slums.

The then DoE director had sent a list of hill plunderers to the ministry concerned but the names of some big shots involved in the plunder were allegedly dropped from the list.

Sources said the DoE field survey found that many people bought plain lands in hilly areas after the hills were levelled by others. Further investigation is needed to detect those who had first cut or levelled the hills and later sold the lands to others, they added.