Probe launched after Forest Department fells 1,200 orange, malta trees in Moulvibazar

The Forest Department cut down around 1,200 fruit-bearing orange and malta trees belonging to a family during a drive against alleged illegal occupation of protected forest land in Moulvibazar.

A three-member investigation committee has been formed following the incident.

The affected family claimed they cultivated the orchard with permission from the Forest Department and that the trees were only months away from producing a commercial harvest.

The incident took place in the Kalinji area of Adampur forest beat under the Rajkandi reserve forest range in Kamalganj upazila on 16 July.

According to the Forest Department, the drive was conducted to recover nearly five acres of reserved forest land that had allegedly been occupied illegally. During the operation, officials removed an orange orchard, several structures and a pond built on the land.

According to locals, Salma Begum and her husband Alim Ullah began planting orange and malta saplings on the hilly site around eight years ago, gradually developing the plantation into a commercial orchard.

The family claimed the orchard was expected to generate Tk25-26 lakh in orange sales within the next three months, and alleged that irrigation equipment used to maintain the plantation orchard was damaged during the eviction.

Alim Ullah alleged Forest Department officials deliberately destroyed the orchard because he refused to pay them a bribe.

"We established the orange and malta orchard in 2018 with the Forest Department's permission. We invested eight years of labour and money into it. Just as the trees began bearing fruit, they were cut down. This happened because we refused to pay bribes to Forest Department officials," he added.

Salma Begum claimed that while other nearby orchards were spared, only their plantation was targeted.

Pritam Barua, assistant conservator of forests for the Rajkandi range, denied the bribery allegation, saying the operation was part of a lawful drive to remove illegal occupation from reserved forest land.

Responding to questions about why nearby orchards were spared, he said, "We have reclaimed forest land. No operation was carried out on land outside the forest."

Following public concern over the incident, authorities formed a three-member investigation committee headed by Sylhet Additional Divisional Commissioner Ashraful Rahman.

The committee visited the site on Thursday. Speaking to TBS today (25 July), Ashraful Rahman said, "We have recorded statements from all relevant parties and collected the necessary documents. The investigation report will be submitted to the government as soon as possible."