Cox's Bazar, Oct 21 (V7N) – The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has initiated an investigation against former Cabinet Secretary Shafiul Alam over allegations of illegally allocating 155.70 acres of forest land in Cox’s Bazar to construct the Shaheed A T M Zafar Alam Multidisciplinary Academy.

The allocation is alleged to have been carried out in 2016 through undue influence, bypassing legal procedures. Shaheed A T M Zafar Alam, in whose name the academy was initially established, is the late brother of Shafiul Alam. The ACC’s investigation seeks to determine the role of the former secretary in the irregular long-term lease of the forest land.

ACC Cox’s Bazar Deputy Director Mamunur Rashid confirmed to Samakal that letters have already been sent to various government offices requesting information regarding Shafiul Alam as part of the ongoing inquiry.

Nurul Islam, divisional officer of the Cox’s Bazar South Forest Division, confirmed receiving a formal ACC request seeking information and stated that the required documents would be provided promptly.

According to the Cox’s Bazar district administration, in 2016, the government allocated 155.70 acres of land in Khuniapalong Mouza, Ramu Upazila, in the name of Shaheed A T M Zafar Alam Cadet College, at a valuation of Tk 7,077,150 while the assessed value was Tl 7,770,715. The institution later changed its name to Shaheed A T M Zafar Alam Multidisciplinary Academy.

Documents from the Ministry of Land categorized the allocated area as non-agricultural khas land, despite it being one of the country’s ecologically rich forest areas. The Forest Department and other relevant offices had previously objected to this allocation, noting that the land was part of a gazetted reserved forest.

The Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change confirmed that the long-term lease was irregularly granted during the previous Awami League government. After the current caretaker government assumed office, it requested the Ministry of Land to cancel the lease to protect the forest ecosystem. On August 21, a formal letter was sent to the Ministry of Land recommending the cancellation. Subsequently, on December 10, the Ministry of Land officially annulled the lease. The cancellation order, signed by Deputy Secretary Masud Kamal, cited that the leased land was gazetted forest and therefore the lease was illegal.

Forest Department sources have alleged that during the period of the illegal lease, millions of trees on the 155.70-acre land were cut down and sold by members of Shafiul Alam’s family.

The ACC investigation is now gathering evidence to determine the extent of irregularities and any potential misuse of power in the forest land allocation.

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