DoE cancels report recommending to lift sand from forestland

The Department of Environment (DoE) cancelled the inspection report recommending to lift sand from a reserve forest in Chattogram today, two days after The Daily Star published a story titled "Forestland given away for illegal sand lifting".

Md Mojahidur Rahman, deputy director of the DoE, issued a letter to deputy commissioner of the Chattogram to this effect and mentioned cancellation of an earlier report sent in December last year.

"We cancelled our report after learning that the proposed land for sand lifting is a forestland," he said.

Through the letter, DoE also urged not to lift sand from the forestland to secure the biodiversity of this area.

Previously, Chattogram district administration gave permission to a foreign contractor to lift sand from a portion of the Ramgarh-Sitakunda reserve forest in Chattogram's Jiltali area for a road widening project.

Ashoka Buildcon Limited, an Indian firm, was then granted permission to lift 29,000 cubic feet of sand from 6.8 acres of the 84,000-acre reserve forest, according to an agreement document seen by The Daily Star.

Before giving permission, the district admin sought an inspection report over the matter from the DoE.

Following this, DoE then sent a report to district administration after field inspection, recommending to lift sand from the land overlooking ownership of this land.

According to the report, prepared by Ashraf Uddin a research officer of Chattogram DoE, it said the land has an open space and Null (crops) land on the east and west sides.

Then the forest department sent a letter to the director of the DoE (Chattogram region), demanding a cancellation of the DoE's inspection report saying it was defective and illegal on October 17.