Chattogram: Environment, Forest and Climate Change Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan today announced that electricity and water connections of illegal settlers on hills will be disconnected. “How do illegal occupants get such connections?” she questioned, emphasizing that even hill owners will face legal action if they are involved in hill cutting.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the environment adviser made these remarks while visiting the Akbar Shah area in Chattogram this afternoon to address the issue of illegal hill cutting. During her visit, she engaged with local residents and the administration, underscoring the importance of long-term plans to conserve hills. Rizwana stressed that “unplanned hill cutting and mismanagement have placed the environment and biodiversity under severe threat. Such activities must be stopped immediately.”
She highlighted that hill conservation is not solely the government’s responsibility but a collective duty. “Restoration of the environment in hilly regions is possible through joint efforts by local communities, the administration, and environmental activists,” she added.
Accompanying Rizwana during the visit were the Mayor of Chattogram City Corporation, Dr. Shahadat Hossain, along with senior officials from the local administration, officials from relevant government and non-government organisations, and representatives from environmental organisations. They discussed the issues facing the hilly regions and sought assistance from the adviser in addressing these challenges.
The adviser instructed the local administration to take prompt and effective measures to conserve hills. She urged that “protecting hills and biodiversity is essential for ensuring a habitable planet for future generations. Eco-friendly policies must be formulated and implemented.”