Don’t allow roads through Moheshkhali protected forest

Despite repeated objections from the Forest Department (FD), work continues to construct a 4.8-km paved road through a protected forest in Moheshkhali. The Tk 22-crore project reportedly began last September under the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED). Concrete paving has already been completed on lowland sections. As the project continues, the protected hilly forest remains at risk of further encroachment, deforestation, hill-cutting, and habitat destruction.

In a case filed by the Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (BELA) challenging the road construction, the High Court (HC) had, on August 6, imposed a two-month injunction on all activities related to a 3.7-km stretch of the proposed road. However, on September 9, the Supreme Court stayed the injunction and allowed construction to proceed on condition that the road width does not exceed 5.5 metres. The FD, although not involved in the BELA petition, has also been communicating with local government authorities detailing the environmental harms and likely illegality of constructing the road in question. In one letter, the FD disputed a claim made by the state during the SC hearing on BELA’s case, which argued that a road already exists through the forest and that the ongoing work involves only carpeting the existing route. In fact, the FD says the road through the forest is merely an unpaved trail. Additionally, even if the proposed road’s width is kept within 18 feet, around 14 feet of hills and land on both sides would need to be cut, thus creating a conflict with the existing law.

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Constructing this road and inviting further human activity would not only harm the native plant and animal species which inhabit the forest, but also irreversibly harm its largely intact interior. According to forest officials, the road project has already encouraged illegal occupiers, with some constructing houses along the existing trail. It is also disappointing to know that, in March, a local MP had written a demi-official letter urging the FD not to “obstruct” the project.

We urge the government to ensure that no roads are constructed on reserved forest areas. The FD is doing its duty by objecting to the road being constructed in Moheshkhali forest. In order to be on the right side of things, the LGED and other relevant authorities must heed forest officials’ warnings about the project’s environmental impact and act accordingly. Paving a road through a legally protected forest cannot be so important as to cause so much harm to nature in the process.