Pritam Barua, the forest range officer at Rajkandi Forest Range in Kamalganj upazila of Moulvibazar, has been transferred to Rangpur district amid an ongoing high-level investigation into the felling of 1,200 fruit-bearing orange trees.
Sylhet Divisional Forest Officer Abdur Rahman confirmed the transfer on Monday (August 3) night, saying the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change had ordered the transfer of Barua along with several other forest officials.
The transfer comes after allegations that 1,200 orange trees were cut down in the Kalinji area of Adampur Forest Beat under Rajkandi Forest Range during a forest department eviction drive, just before the trees were due to bear fruit. The orchard belonged to Salma Begum and her husband, Alim Ullah.
The incident drew widespread attention after it was reported by several national media outlets, prompting the authorities to launch an investigation.
On July 22, the Sylhet Divisional Commissioner's Office formed a three-member high-level inquiry committee headed by Additional Divisional Commissioner Ashraful Rahman to investigate the allegations.
The committee also includes Moulvibazar Additional Deputy Commissioner (Revenue) Shahina Akter and Assistant Conservator of Forests for Sylhet Division Md. Nazmul Alam. On July 23, the committee visited the site, collected relevant documents, and recorded statements from those involved.
The investigation is still ongoing, and the committee has yet to submit its final report.
