4 forest dept staffers injured in attack during eviction drive in Ctg

Four forest department staff members were injured in an attack by locals after an eviction drive on forest land in Fatikchhari upazila of Chattogram today.

The injured are Assistant Conservator Khan Md Abrarur Rahman, Forest Ranger Md Bacchu Mia, Forest Guard Khondoker Mahfuz Ali and excavator driver Biplob.

All the injured were admitted to Chattogram Medical College Hospital (CMCH), said officials.

The incident occurred in the reserved forest land in Dhuillachhara area under Narayanhat range around 10:30am.

Md Shofiqul Islam, divisional forest officer of Chattogram North Forest Division, said a group of occupants, led by one Shah Alam Noimi and Harun Master, had built structures by cutting hills illegally in reserved forest land in Narayanhat range.

On information, a team from the forest department, in the presence of local administration and police, pulled down illegal structures.

But a group of locals attacked them from behind with lethal weapons following a rumour, spread through megaphones, that they were demolishing a mosque.

While most forest officials were able to flee, four got trapped and were beaten by the agitating group, the forest officials said.

The four injured forest employees were first sent to Fatikchhari Upazila Health Complex and later shifted to CMCH.

They said a group of agitating locals later put barricade on Chattogram-Khagrachhari regional highway in Naya Masjid area for an hour, protesting the eviction. Later, a team of Bangladesh Army and police convinced the group to remove the barricade.

The process to file a case in this regard is underway, said DFO Shofiqul, adding that the army personnel recovered the excavator and other equipment from the spot.