Dhaka Office: Rights activists have demanded immediate legal action to recover 6.73 acres of forest land in Gazipur, allegedly occupied by former inspector general of police (IGP) and former director general of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) Benazir Ahmed.
People formed a human chain under the banner of Bhawalgarh Bachao Andolan in front of Gazipur deputy commissioner’s office on Wednesday.
Bhawal Resort, a recreation spot, unlawfully encroached into 6.73 acres of forest land, allegedly with the influence of Benazir, to develop 160 bighas of land at Naljani village in Bhawalgarh union under Gazipur Sadar upazila.
Mohammad Zakaria, office secretary of Bhawalgarh Bachao Andolan, said their organisation has been advocating for measures to protect forest areas since 2000. They demanded immediate steps to recover the forest land from the possession of Benazir Ahmed and those who have encroached on the land of the Forest Department.
Former IGP Benazir Ahmed has been implicated in a case of grabbing Forest Department’s land to obtain a one-fourth equity share in the luxury resort in Gazipur owned by an industrial conglomerate.
