Hatimara Tea Garden: Manager, 9 others sued for harming wildlife

The Forest Department has sued the manager of Hatimara Tea Garden and nine others for reportedly igniting a fire, killing wildlife and destroying habitat.

Md Abdullah Al Amin, range officer of Satchari Wildlife Range, filed the case with the Senior Judicial Magistrate of Forest Court in Habiganj on February 1. The court accepted the case on Sunday.

Rezaul Karim Chowdhury, divisional forest officer of Forest Department's Wildlife Management and Nature Conservation Division in Sylhet, confirmed the development.

In the case, Golam Mahiuddin Ahmed, manager of the garden, and the others have been accused under the Wildlife (Conservation and Security) Act 2012.

However, the garden authority denied that wildlife and habitat were harmed. It will challenge the case in court.

According to the case statement, the Forest Department was informed through different media reports on January 23 and 26 that Hatimara Tea Garden in Rashidpur area of Habiganj's Chunarughat upazila destroyed wildlife habitat and killed many animals by igniting a fire during its extension work.

After citizens and environmental activists expressed grave concern, the complainant of the case along with other officials inspected the spot on January 26 and found proof of felling old trees and igniting fire, the statement read.

The statement mentioned that the offence was carried out after the garden authority's direct instruction.

Contacted, manager Golam said he is on leave and cannot comment in this regard. He, however, suggested contacting the garden's higher authorities.

Farid Ahmed Shaheen, general manager of the Daragaon Division of The Consolidate Tea and Lands Company (Bangladesh) Limited, which owns the garden, said, "The media reports, which claimed that we ignited the fire in Rema-Kalenga Wildlife Sanctuary, are false. The sanctuary is around 20 kilometres away from the garden area, where we were working on the extension."

"We are not sure when and how the Forest Department inspected and found us responsible," he said.