Forest official killed by dumper truck for halting hill cutting in Cox’s Bazar
A forest department official lost his life while confronting culprits engaged in illegal hill cutting within a reserved forest area in Cox's Bazar's Ukhiya upazila.
He died on the spot after being crushed under a dumper truck in Harinmara area of Rajapalong Union of the upazila early Sunday.
The victim Sajjaduzzaman 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 a 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.
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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 Police Station Officer-in-Charge Shamim Hossain said efforts were underway to identify those involved in the incident and bring them to justice.
Cox's Bazar South Forest Division Divisional Forest Officer Sarwar Alam visited the spot yesterday morning.
He said, "Sajjad sacrificed his life to protect the forest. We have lost a skilled and hardworking forest official."
Urging for unified action to counteract such activities, he cautioned that the very existence of forests is under threat due to this illicit soil cutting.
