In a shocking turn of events, two forest department officials were attacked, allegedly by land grabbers, while returning from an eviction drive in the Banshkhali Ecopark area of Chattogram. The injured individuals, Bisu Kumar Das (Junior Wildlife Officer) and Md Ashik (Office Assistant of the Ecopark), were targeted as they concluded an operation led by park in-charge Ismail Hoque to remove illegal structures in the Nayapara area within the park.
Rafiqul Islam Chowdhury, the divisional forest officer of the Wildlife Management and Nature Conservation Division, Chattogram, reported that the assailants, believed to be part of a group of land grabbers, wielded blunt weapons during the attack. Bisu Kumar Das, critically injured, was promptly rescued and admitted to Chittagong Medical College Hospital (CMCH).
Expressing concern over the incident, Rafiqul mentioned that the forest department team had successfully conducted the eviction drive, removing structures built by encroachers. The assault occurred as the officials were returning to their office after the operation.
“We have verbally informed the local police about the incident and are in the process of filing a case against the attackers,” added the DFO. Tofayel Ahmed, officer-in-charge of Banshkhali Police Station, assured that legal action would be taken upon receipt of the formal complaint.
This incident highlights the challenges faced by forest officials in protecting ecologically sensitive areas from illegal encroachments and emphasizes the need for robust measures to ensure the safety of those working to preserve our natural resources.
