It is not surprising how a land grabber has been grabbing government lands, razing hills, and filling the Kalirchhara Canal at the heart of Chittagong city for the last eight years. Rather, the question is how he has become a ward councillor and continued his plot business while facing two cases and fines by the Department of Environment (DoE).
During this period, he destroyed at least 42 hills and the greenery and became the owner of the lands. Locals have been protesting his activities in public but to no avail.
After becoming a public representative, Ward 9 Councillor Md Zahurul Islam Jasim has set up structures and his agro farm on a piece of land that was previously a canal.
According to locals, Jasim sells plots after razing the hills in Akbar Shah Area and the Lake City Residential Area and uses the names of his caretaker and wife as owners of the properties.
A human chain was formed in front of the Chittagong Press Club on January 16, demanding that the hills and the canal be reclaimed. Activists of different environmental organisations present at the event alleged that Councillor Jasim had stopped the flow of the canal by erecting structures.
Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (BELA) took an initiative to end the illegal activities and raise awareness.
Bangla TribuneOn January 26, a team of the organisation, led by Chief Executive Officer Syeda Rizwana Hasan, visited the spot, but came under a fierce attack by Jasim's men brandishing sharp weapons. They also attacked the vehicle carrying the green activists.
Being informed, police rescued them from the spot. Later, Rizwana filed a case against Jasim and his men with Akbar Shah police station.
Aliur Rahman, Chittagong's environmental journalist and BELA network member, said they went to visit Supari Bagan area where local Councillor Jasim had been cutting the hills and filling the Kalirchhara Canal.
Local residents said that Jasim's influence increased after becoming a councillor. No one could stop him from cutting the hills and occupying the lands.
The DoE authorities filed a case against Jasim on May 18, 2015 for cutting hills illegally. Later, his wife Tashlima Begum was fined Tk20,000 by the DoE on September 27, 2021, for the same offence.
Latest, three people including Councillor Jasim and his wife Tashlima Begum were sued on August 10, 2022.
Mia Mahmudul Haque, deputy director of Chittagong DoE, said: “We were unaware that the hill cutting resumed recently until the complaint was lodged by Syeda Rizwana Hasan. Legal action will be taken following an investigation in the area.”
Councillor Jasim has denied the accusations, saying he was a victim of a conspiracy. He also demanded action against the people who attacked the BELA delegation during their visit last week.