The Forest Department could not get rid of the clutch of the black cat. Corruption and irregularities of the top officials of the department grip the whole forest sector in the country. Looting the business of recruitment and transfer syndicates also hampers the normal procedure of the Forest Department. Corruption and irregularities are not stopped despite the notice of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).

The successors of the much-discussed ex-forest chief Osman Gani are working as the top officials of the Forest Department. The country’s forestlands are being ruined due to their daring irregularities.

Corruption allegations were found against many top officials including the Chief Conservator of Forests (CCF) Amir Hosain Chowdhury, and Dhaka Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Sazzad Hossain. Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Saber Hossain Chowdhury has taken a tolerance policy against corruption and irregularities. He received 16 serious allegations of irregularities when he was the chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Environment, Forest and Climate Change Ministry. Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) in a report mentioned various types of irregularities and corruption including embezzlement of 61 per cent fund of the forest project.   

The first meeting of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Environment, Forest and Climate Change Ministry held on 24 March suggested to creation of new forests alongside the preservation of the existing forest and remove corruption from the Forest Department. 

It is known that Ban Bhaban (Bangladesh Forest Department) in the capital’s Mohakhali has turned into a den of corruption. Officials from the rank of DFO to beat officers always remain busy to earn bribe money by looting, recruitment and transfer business. Many officials of the Forest Department have become the owners of houses and cars within a few years. No work is done without money in the Forest Department.   

Ex-forest chief Osman Gani became a media hype during the army-backed interim regime in 2007 after his arrest on May 29, 2007.

The joint forces seized Tk 1 crore in cash stashed inside a rice container in the kitchen, pillows and mattresses and other unusual places in the house.

On June 5, 2008, a special court sentenced Osman to 12 years of rigorous imprisonment for amassing wealth illegally and concealing information in his wealth statement submitted to the Anti-Corruption Commission.

ACC Deputy Director Golam Shahriar Chowdhury filed the case with the Uttara Police Station on July 26, 2007, accusing Osman and his wife of concealing wealth worth around Tk 4.3 crore.

Deprived officials and employees of the Forest Department alleged that the situation is worse than the tenure of Osman Gani. They said if ACC conducts drives at the houses of the top officials of the department, they might get more wealth than Osman Gani. Much information including money laundering and buying of houses and cars in naming and unanimous will be public.

Meanwhile, corrupt officials and employees of the Forest Department are in fear as Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Saber Hossain Chowdhury has taken a tolerance policy against corruption and irregularities in the Forest Department.

Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) Executive Director Iftekharuzzaman said forest officials are destroying the forest. The government is also taking various projects harmful to the forest.   

Environment organization Dhoritri Rokhhay Amra (DHORA) member secretary Sharif Jamil said negligence of the Forest Department is one of the main causes of forest destruction. Responsible persons are out of justice, he lamented.  

Chief Conservator of Forests Amir Hosain Chowdhury didn’t respond to the call of this correspondent to take his comment about the irregularities and corruption of the Forest Department.

@ The article was published on print and online versions of The Bangladesh Pratidin on March 31, 2024 and has been rewritten in English by Golam Rosul.