The forest department has recovered about 5 acres of forest land held by local influential people in a reserved forest area in Kamalganj, Moulvibazar. Malta, pineapple, lemon and betel nut gardens set up illegally on the land were cleared during the drive.

The drive was carried out at midday on Thursday, 16 July, in the Kalinji Bosti Nasak area of Adampur beat in the Rajkandi range. The forest department, the upazila administration and Kamalganj police station conducted it jointly.

According to the forest department and local sources, a group had long been occupying this large area of forest illegally and growing malta, pineapple, lemon and betel nut. The cultivated land was cleared and brought back under the forest department's control.

During the drive, two sheds made of bamboo and polythene built illegally inside the forest were demolished. The bank of an illegal pond, created artificially by damming a water body inside the reserved forest, was also cut so that the water body's natural flow could be restored.

Assistant conservator of forests and Rajkandi range officer Pritam Barua said 5 acres of land had been recovered in the drive in the Kalinji Bosti Nasak area of Adampur beat in the reserved Rajkandi range.

Kamalganj assistant commissioner (land) Riaz Mahmud confirmed the drive and said 5 acres of forest land had been recovered.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.