‘Such acts will empower land grabbers’

Green activists, rights organisations and civil society members yesterday urged the government to cancel the allotment of a forestland for Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) in Cox's Bazar Khuniyapalong reserve forest.

They made the urge in a press conference held at Jatiya Press Club.

The government has removed the reserve status for 20 acres of forestland in Khuniypalong forest in Cox's Bazar's Ramu, which is home to 50 Asian elephants categorised critically endangered by IUCN.

Syeda Rizwana Hasan, chief executive of Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (BELA), said the reserve forest was allotted to the BFF technical centre disregarding reservations of the Forests Department.

"We would accept it had there not been any land for the technical centre. Opening a recreation centre in the name of training academies in Cox's Bazar's forestland has gone to the level of addiction," she said.

Rights activist Khusi Kabir said the allotment must be cancelled to prove that government cares about the future of the next generation.

"Allotting forestland for such purposes violates the law and constitution and sends a wrong message to the masses. When the government itself violates the law, it empowers land grabbers," said Iftekharuzzaman, executive director of TIB.

He also said one-third of the forestland in Cox's Bazar has already been grabbed and the liability falls on the government.

"The development which destroys the environment, forest and livelihood of people is not development at all," said Sharif Jamil, general secretary of Bapa.