Case filed over Ukhiya forest officer’s death, one held

A case has been filed over the death of a forest officer who was run over by a dumper truck used by culprits engaged in illegal hill cutting within a reserved forest area in Cox's Bazar's Ukhiya upazila.

Md Shafiul Alam, Ukhiya range officer of the Department of Forest, filed the case early Monday naming 10 individuals and five unnamed others, said Ukhiya police station Officer-in-Charge Md Shamim Hossain.

Driver of the dumper truck Md Bappy, 23, of West Harinmara area of Rajapalang union in Ukhiya is among the accused.

Meanwhile, police arrested one of the accused, Syed Karim, during a drive carried out in the Harinmara area in the early hours of Monday.

The victim Sajjaduzzaman, hailed from Gajaria upazila of Munshiganj, served as a beat officer at Dochhari Forest in the Ukhiya Range of Cox's Bazar South Forest Division.

Gazi Shafiul Alam, Ukhiya range officer of the Department of Forest, said soil smuggling activities were underway in the Harinmara area after midnight. Upon receiving the information, Sajjad went to the spot by motorcycle. As he attempted to stop a dumper truck involved in the illegal activity, he was crushed by the vehicle. The perpetrators then ran away, leaving him dead on the spot.

Forest guard Mohammad Ali who was accompanying Sajjad sustained injuries during the incident and was taken to Ukhiya Upazila Health Complex for treatment. Later, police recovered Sajjad's body.

Ukhiya OC Shamim said drives are underway to detain the rest of the accused.