Forester killing: Rab arrests 2, including mastermind

Two more have been arrested in connection with the murder of forest officer Sazzaduzzaman in Cox's Bazar on Monday, said Rab.

Kamal Uddin, 39, and Helal Uddin, 27, were arrested from Sitakunda in Chattogram and Kot Bazar area of Ukhiya respectively, said Lieutenant Colonel HM Sajjad Hossain, Commanding officer of RAB-15.

Forest Officer Sazzaduzzaman's murder was planned by Kamal Uddin, he said in a press briefing yesterday.

This murder was planned by sand lifters who were enraged by Sazzaduzzaman's operations against hill razing. Initial interrogation of the arrested persons revealed that a gang -- formed under the leadership of local Helal, Gafur and Babul in Harinmara area -- had been illegally cutting hills of the reserved forest area and selling the earth, he added.

"There are about 10-12 dumpers and a few dredgers. They used to cut the hill at night in the dark and sell it for Tk 900 to 1,200 per dump truck," the Rab official said.

Deceased Sazzaduzzaman, the beat officer of Harinmara forest area, was known as a brave and honest officer. He conducted several drives, seized five earth-cutting dredgers and several dumpers. He also filed several cases under the Forest Act against the group, he added.

One of the dump trucks that was seized belonged to the arrestee Kamal, Sazzad said.

Earlier on March 31, a dumper truck carrying stolen earth crushed Sazzaduzzaman to death at Harinmara reserve forest in Ukhiya, when the official tried to stop the vehicle.