Khulshi Club fined Tk48.75 lakh for illegal hill cutting in Chattogram
The Department of Environment (DoE) has fined Tk48.75 lakh to Khulshi Club for illegally cutting hills in the Foy's Lake area of Chattogram without approval.
Following a hearing today (11 March), Sonia Sultana, the director of DoE Chattogram Metropolitan Office, imposed the fine under the Bangladesh Environment Conservation Act, 1995 (amended 2010), Section 6(b).
Sonia stated that such unapproved activities contribute to environmental degradation and pose significant risks to the region's ecological balance.
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According to DoE officials, acting on a tip-off, an enforcement team conducted an inspection on 9 March and discovered that a significant portion of the hilly land adjacent to Khulshi Club had been dangerously cut down. Officials found that the club was conducting infrastructure development within its premises by cutting into government-classified "Tila" (hillock) land without permission.
The inspection was carried out by Senior Chemist Rubaiyat Tahreem Sourav, Inspectors Rumpa Shikdar, Md Sakawat Hossain, and Md Monir Hossain, along with Sub-Inspector Khalidur Rahman and a police force. The team confirmed that 48,750 cubic feet of hills had been cut, causing severe environmental damage.
After reviewing land records and speaking with local residents, it was established that the club had engaged in this activity without obtaining government approval. The club authority was summoned for a hearing at the DoE office where the fine was imposed.
This is not the first time Khulshi Club has faced legal action for similar violations. On 15 February 2023, a case was filed with Khulshi Police Station after the club was found guilty of cutting 6,560 cubic feet of a hill.
Later, on 13 February 2024, another case was registered at Metropolitan Magistrate Court-4, Chattogram, for illegally cutting an additional 1,93,600 cubic feet of hills in the same area.
Authorities have warned that strict legal measures will be taken if Khulshi Club or any other organization continues to engage in unauthorized hill cutting in the future.
