Md. Amirul Islam
Panchagarh District Representative.
In Debiganj Upazila of Panchagarh, the forest department's trees were cut down freely in the dark of night as well as during the day. Even though the Awami League leaders and activists openly cut down the trees, the forest department people could not do anything. Due to the influence of their power, the forest department officials did not even have the courage to file a case against them.
After Nishikant Malakar, the range officer of the forest department of Debiganj upazila in Panchagarh, took charge, the Debiganj range changed. He joined as the Debiganj range officer on September 30 last year. After his arrival, he completely changed the previous picture of the garden. The conscious people of the area fear that if he leaves, the forest garden will return to its previous state. After his arrival, the number of cases of cutting trees by the forest department has doubled compared to before. Now, it is almost impossible to cut trees. He became unstoppable to those who cut trees in the dark of night. He became a disliked person by many. After taking charge, he freed the occupation of 27.20 acres of forest land occupied by Baniapur Mouza of Battali Bit. The news of which has been published in various newspapers. In order to protect the land of the forest department, he wrote a letter to the sub-registrar of Debiganj upazila not to buy, sell, transfer and register the land of the forest department. Due to which the land of the forest department is no longer being bought, sold and registered. Since he wrote a letter to the Assistant Commissioner (Land) of the Debiganj Land Office for not providing land registration of the Forest Department, the land registration of the Forest Department is no longer being done. Since the Forest Department land is recorded as private property in RS, he has also filed a case with the Land Survey Tribunal to correct the record.
Since Nishi Kant Malakar came to Debiganj, the forest department has started taking a strong shape. As a result, the tree thieves and landowners of the area started trying to humiliate and humiliate him in various ways and tried to get him transferred from Debiganj in various ways. On February 1, Nishikant Malakar seized a van with eucalyptus tree logs stolen from the forest department's garden. Since some of the patrol team receiving allowance from the Sufal project and the van driver were involved in cutting the tree, a forest case was filed against them. Later, they got angry and gathered at the Debiganj range office on February 3 along with some local people. Some journalists are related to the accused. They put pressure on the range officer Nishikant Malakar in various ways to release the seized van. Then the range officer said that the van and eucalyptus tree logs were seized in the case, so it was not possible to release the van. Then they got angry and started insulting and humiliating him, he informed the Debiganj Upazila Nirbahi Officer, Debiganj Army Camp and Debiganj Police Station, and they came and normalized the situation. The next day, Yusuf, a guard on the Sufal project allowance, called Range Officer Nishikant Malakar and spoke obscenely. He told Yusuf and Shakil, if you are involved in cutting trees, then a case will be filed against you, and you will be in danger. He warned them by saying this. At that time, he said, if you cut trees again, then more cases will be filed against you. So, guard the trees of the forest well.
They recorded this audio and used some of their followers, relatives and some journalists to make news by arranging it in various ways and made fabricated and baseless statements against him to the higher authorities. The conscious circles of Debiganj feel that a skilled person like Nishi Kant Malakar is needed to protect the Debiganj Forest Division. They also said that if Nishikant Malakar leaves the Debiganj Range, the Debiganj Forest Division will return to its previous state. Which is harmful to the Debiganj Range, the locals and the environment.
Panchagarh District Representative
09/02/2025
