Bangladesh High Court Issues Rule to Protect and Restore Chokoria Sundarbans
The Bangladesh High Court issued a rule on Sunday demanding an explanation as to why the government should not take immediate action to protect the Chakaria Sundarbans and recover forest land currently held under illegal occupation and leases. The directive, issued by a bench comprising Justice Fahmida Kader and Justice Md. Asif Hasan, follows a public interest litigation filed by the Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (BELA).
The court has ordered several high-ranking officials to respond to the petition, including the secretaries of the ministries of Land, Environment, Fisheries and Livestock, and Agriculture. The Chief Conservator of Forests, the Director General of the Department of Fisheries, and the Deputy Commissioner of Cox's Bazar have also been named as respondents.
Representing BELA during the hearing, lawyer Md. Ashraf Ali, assisted by lawyer Rumana Sharmin, argued that the destruction of the mangrove ecosystem persists despite repeated administrative directives issued to recover the forest land. The environmental organization contends that this inaction constitutes a direct violation of both the Forest Act of 1927 and the constitutional mandate regarding environmental conservation under Article 18A.
BELA initiated the legal action this month with the objective of halting further encroachment and restoring the ecological integrity of the Chakaria Sundarbans. The petition seeks to compel the authorities to enforce existing regulations and permanently dismantle the illegal structures and leases that have decimated the protected area.
