Hasan Mahmud occupies 212 acres of forest department land in Chattogram

Former foreign minister and Awami League joint secretary Dr Hasan Mahmud and his family have occupied an enormous amount of land in the Chattogram Forest Department. During their tenure in power, Hasan Mahmud and his brothers celebrated the occupation of government land. For the last 15 years, they have occupied at least 212 acres of forest department land in Rangunia upazila. They built restaurants, fish farms, resorts, and bungalow houses in these occupied places. In the meantime, the forest department has started an operation to recover this place. Preparations are underway to file a case.

Rangunia Kurusia Range Officer Ashraful Islam said Hasan Mahmud and his brothers illegally grabbed 212 acres of forest department’s land. They built restaurants, resorts, bungalow houses, fish and cattle farms on illegally occupied land. They built these establishments forcibly during the tenure of the previous government. The forest department started the illegal eviction drive on August 26. In the meantime, 100 acres of land has been recovered. The rest of the land will be evicted soon.

Cases will be filed against them.Hasan Mahmud and his younger brother Ershad Mahmud illegally grabbed at least 212 acres of forest land during the tenure of the Awami League government. Among them, Muktijoddha Park and Restaurant were built on 5 acres of land in the Dashmile area of Rangamati-Bandarban road. Three ponds were created in the mountainous area. Two huge ponds were dug on 15 acres of land in the Sukhbilas area. So that fish are farmed. He built a cattle farm on 50 acres of land in the same area. He created various types of fruit gardens by occupying 30 acres of Dudhpukuria forest beat. He built a huge bungalow house occupying the forest land. Apart from this, fisheries and cattle farms have been built by occupying more than 100 acres of land in 8 more spots. Create fruit orchards.

The forest department is now gradually recovering all the land occupied by the Hasan Mahmud family. So far, 105 acres of land have been freed from occupation, but another 107 acres are left. However, locals complain that there may be more land occupied. Not only the forest department’s land, they also controlled the sand mahal across Rangunia upazila. The sand was illegally extracted from the Karnaphuli River, Shilk Canal, Ichamati Canal, and other places. Besides Rangunia, Hasan Mahmud’s family members have huge properties and buildings in Chattogram city. All of which have been built in the last 15 years.