The High Court on Tuesday issued a directive asking the government authorities to explain their inaction in addressing encroachment on reserve forests of Mathabhanga and Panerchara at Teknaf in Cox鈥檚 Bazar.
The order also asked for clarification of the role of forest officials in facilitating or failing to prevent the encroachment.
The bench of Justice Fatema Najib and Justice Sikder Mahmudur Razi issued the rule following a writ petition filed by the Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association.
The court sought explanations as to why government authorities should not be ordered to take immediate action against encroachers responsible for destroying portions of the reserved forests.
It also asked them to explain why directives would not be issued to protect and restore 290 acres of Shilkhali Range and 352 acres of Dakkhin Mitha Chharia Range, which are currently under illegal occupation.
The court directed the Chief Conservator of Forests, the Forest Conservator of Chattogram, and the range officers of Cox鈥檚 Bazar to conduct an environmental impact assessment.
The authorities have been instructed to submit a detailed report in six months, evaluating the destruction caused by encroachment and recommending remedial measures.
BELA, represented by lawyers Ashraf Ali and S Hasanul Banna, argued that the encroachment not only threatened the ecological balance of Teknaf but also undermined legal obligations to protect reserved forests.