Desk Report,
Lease activities of nine sand dunes in and around protected forest areas suspended
The High Court has suspended the lease of nine sand pits and their adjacent protected forests in three upazilas of Cox’s Bazar – Chakaria, Ramu and Ukhia. It has been asked to prepare a list of the lessees and the guilty parties involved in sand extraction from the forest area and to submit a report to the court within three months after assessing the damage caused to the forest due to sand extraction.
Lease activities of nine sand dunes in and around protected forest areas suspended
A High Court bench comprising Justice Qazi Jinat Haque and Justice Ainun Nahar Siddiqa passed the order along with the rule on Sunday after hearing a preliminary petition. The writ was filed by the Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (BELA) last month. The nine sand pits are Khutakhali-1 in Khutakhali Mouza of Chakaria; Dhalirachara and Panirachara Canal in Dholirachara Mouza of Ramu; Balukhali-1 of Ukhia Ghat Mouza, Ualapalong and Dochhari Balumahal of Rajapalong Mouza, Palangkhali of Palangkhali Mouza; Hijlia, Dwangarchar and Kumariarchhara of Rajapalong Mouza.
Lawyer Mohammad Ashraf Ali heard the case on behalf of Bela in the court. Deputy Attorney General Md. Golam Rahman Bhuiyan was on behalf of the state.
Bela said that the Deputy Commissioner prepared a list of a total of 27 Balumahals in 5 upazilas of Cox’s Bazar district and invited tenders for lease for the year 2025-26 (1432 Bangabandhu). Out of the 27 Balumahals, 9 of them are in and near protected and protected forests. Therefore, considering the potential damage to the environment and environment of the forest concerned, the divisional forest officers of the Cox’s Bazar North and South Forest Divisions requested the Cox’s Bazar Deputy Commissioner to refrain from leasing those sand palaces. Ignoring this request, three sand palaces have been leased. The leasing process for the others is ongoing. In this situation, the Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association filed a writ to protect the protected and protected forests from the harmful effects of sand extraction.
The rule has sought to know why the nine sand palaces listed for lease are against the constitution and other laws, and will not be declared illegal and against public interest, said S. Hasanul Banna, one of the lawyers of Bela. He told Prothom Alo that the order has also been sought to ensure the protection of the protected forest areas by declaring those sand palaces extinct and excluding them from the list of leaseable sand palaces. The rule also asks why compensation should not be ordered from the actual culprits after assessing the damage caused by sand mining.
