After damaging two canals by building dams and extracting their sands, a local syndicate linked to the ruling party is now tearing apart a wildlife sanctuary by scooping out sand from it and topsoil from adjacent arable land in Dulahazara union of Chakaria upazila in Cox’s Bazar.
Chattogram Veterinary and Animal Science University (CVASU) has built a dormitory in a protected forest which was leased out to them by the land ministry for building an institute for coastal biodiversity, marine fisheries and wildlife research, amid strong opposition from the forest department.
The killing of Kohelia
River integral to livelihoods of villagers in Matarbari being encroached upon to build a road with DoE clearance
This portion of the Kohelia river in Moheshkhali’s Matarbari union is in a sorry state after an under-construction four-lane highway began encroaching upon the once mighty river five years ago. The photo was taken recently. Photo: Mostafa Yousuf
One fine morning in 2015, fisherman Mohon Jolodas woke up to the roar of dump trucks close to his home, adjacent to Kohelia river in Matarbari union of Moheshkhali.
To his utter surprise, the truck started dumping sand into the river the source of his community s livelihoods.