HC asks govt to stop cutting hills in Cox's Bazar

The High Court today directed the government and the authorities concerned to immediately stop cutting hills in Jhilongja area of Cox's Bazar in order to protect its environment.

The bench of Justice Naima Haider and Justice Zafar Ahmed came up with the directive following a writ petition filed by Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (Bela).

The Bela submitted the petition as public interest litigation in 2015 seeking necessary order on the respondents to stop the hill cutting for saving environment.

In the petition, Bela challenged the inaction of the respondents to protect the hills at Jhilongja Mouja after the officials and staffs concerned of Bangladesh Power Development Board initiated to acquisition its land for constructing structures.

Many people were reportedly killed due to landslides which took place due to cutting hills in Chattogram and Chattogram Hill Tracts and Cox’s Bazar.