The court also asked why illegal leases and allocations within the reserved mangrove forest should not be cancelled and illegal occupants evicted to restore the forest.
Bangladesh High Court. Photo: BSS
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Bangladesh High Court. Photo: BSS
The High Court today (19 July) issued a rule asking why the failure of the relevant government authorities to restore the reserved Chakaria Sundarbans forest in Cox’s Bazar should not be declared illegal.
The court also asked why it should not direct the authorities to cancel all illegal leases and allocations within the forest, evict all unauthorised occupants, and restore the mangrove ecosystem.
A High Court bench of Justice Fahmida Quader and Justice Md Asif Hasan passed the order after a preliminary hearing on a writ petition filed by the Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (Bela).
The court asked the secretaries of the ministries of land, environment, forest and climate change, and fisheries and livestock, along with the chief conservator of forests and other relevant authorities, to respond to the rule within four weeks.
Barrister Md Ashraf Ali represented Bela during the hearing, assisted by Barrister Rumana Sharmin.
According to Bela, the Chakaria Sundarbans was once a vast reserved mangrove forest in Chakaria Upazila of Cox’s Bazar. Over the years, however, it has been almost wiped out due to unplanned leasing, illegal occupation, and de-reservation through government gazette notifications.
The petition stated that the authorities concerned had issued several directives to restore the forest, but none were implemented.
Bela argued that the continued inaction violates the Forest Act, 1927, and Article 18A of the Constitution, which obliges the state to protect and improve the environment.
In the writ petition, Bela sought court directives to protect the forest, cancel illegal leases and allocations, evict illegal and unauthorised occupants, and restore the mangrove ecosystem.
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