Hills' Encroachment Trade: Formerly Awami League, Now BNP

Zahurul Alam alias Jashim was an Awami League ward councillor for the North Pahartali ward in Chittagong city. For over a decade and a half, the control of the Akbar Shah area was entirely in his hands. Hill grabbing, illegal encroachment, and the commercial trade of utility connections like electricity and water all took place under his direct orders. However, following the recent regime change, the landscape of dominance has also switched.

Over the last two years, Jashim's position has been usurped by Ilyas Khan, the former member-secretary of the Thana Jubo Dal, along with Mohammad Russel and several others.
Shift in Control and Scale of Encroachment

Much like the Akbar Shah area, other government and privately owned hills across the city are now under the dominance of Thana and Ward-level leaders of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).

Official Estimates: According to the district administration, there are illegal settlements of around 8,000 families across 26 hills in the city.
Unofficial Estimates: Other government agencies and private organizations estimate that the actual number of families is closer to one hundred thousand (100,000).

The issue of halting hill cutting, clearing illegal settlements, and implementing overall management came to the forefront after the catastrophic landslide on June 11, 2007, which claimed 127 lives in Chittagong.
The Mechanism of Occupation

These hills are located in areas such as Shershah, Banglabazar, Motijhorna, Batali Hill, Khulshi, Jalalabad, and Jangle Salimpur. Low- or lower-middle-income individuals are used to set up settlements on the hills, while the actual masterminds backing them operate under political identities.

Although various meetings of the Hill Management Committee discussed and decided to compile a list of the godfather hill-grabbers, no such list has been created in the last 17 years.

When questioned, the Divisional Commissioner and Convener of the Hill Management Committee, Mohammad Ziauddin, said: "It is true that powerful individuals back the residents. You [the media] know that as well. Whether a list of them has been compiled or not is something I cannot comment on at this moment."

Key Areas and Past Incidents

In the Akbar Shah area, the hills owned by the Bangladesh Railway include Jhil numbers 1, 2, and 3. Additionally, there are settlements on various other hills, including Zia Nagar, Bijoy Nagar, Kalabagan, Beltolighona, and Shapla Residential area.

Attack on BELA: In 2023, when Syeda Rizwana Hasan, the Executive Director of the Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (BELA), went to inspect a hill-cutting site, Jashim’s men threw stones at her vehicle. A charge sheet was subsequently filed against Jashim in that case.

The Regime Change: After Jashim fled following the events of August 5, 2024, over a hundred cows were looted from his farm. Those who had faced Jashim’s wrath over the last decade and a half allegedly led the looting. Among the current prominent occupiers here is Ilyas Khan, who had been driven out of the area during the Awami League regime.

Expanded Network of New Influencers

Beyond the top leadership, the commercial trade on these hills is currently controlled by Mohammad Yunus (former convener of the Ward Jubo Dal), Saddam Hossain (former joint convener), Mohammad Russel (joint convener of the Ward Swecchhasebak Dal), and another leader of Swecchhasebak Dal, Nasir Uddin.

When questioned regarding these allegations, Ilyas Khan said, "Come to the area and investigate whether I am involved in the hill business. I run a rod and cement business. False rumors are being spread against me out of political vengeance."

Additionally, the leadership of local hill-resident associations has also shifted along political lines:

Jhil Number 1: The current association president is Anwar Hossain, who is involved in BNP politics.

Jhil Number 2: The association is led by BNP leader Mohammad Belal.

Jhil Number 3: Control is under the hands of Mohammad Ilyas.

The Situation in Jungle Salimpur

Jangle Salimpur is an entirely hilly region where settlements have been built by cutting into hills classified under the government's "No. 1 Khas Khatian" (government-owned land). This area has a history of numerous casualties due to landslides.

An organization named the Chinnamul Bastuhara Samity (Rootless Homeless Association) controls the occupation, cutting, and sale of these hills. Prior to the political transition, the presidency and general secretary posts of this association were held by two Awami League leaders, Sadekur Rahman and Golam Gafur (the General Secretary of Jangle Salimpur Awami League).

Following the events of August 5, 2024, responsibility for this association was smoothly handed over to BNP leaders through a mutual understanding:

Current President: Chayedul Haque, Joint Secretary of the City Shramik Dal.

Current General Secretary: Borhan Uddin, President of Jangle Salimpur BNP.

Other key figures: Shahjahan Badsha (former Organizational Secretary of the City Volunteer Dal) and Mizanur Rahman alias Raju (a recently released leader of the Chittagong North District Jubo Dal).

Violence and Legal Battles in Salimpur

The area has recently seen significant violence. Following August 5, 2024, two individuals named Arman Hossain and Masud were murdered, and Mizanur Rahman was arrested in connection with the case. Later, during a law enforcement raid, a member of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) was killed following an attack by the illegal occupiers. Chayedul Haque and Borhan Uddin are currently in prison regarding the RAB member's murder.

According to the association leaders, around 28,000 families currently reside there. Shahjahan Badsha said: "Poor, rootless people are living here. There is an ongoing writ petition regarding this in court."

Another section of Jangle Salimpur is controlled by the Alinagar Multi-purpose Co-operative Society, led by Mohammad Yasin. Recently, a RAB and police camp established in the area was vandalized, leading to a lawsuit against Yasin and other occupiers.
Motijhorna and Batali Hill

The "occupation commerce" is also highly active in the Motijhorna and Batali Hill areas of Lalkhan Bazar. During the Awami League regime, local ward councillor A.F. Kabir Manik and other Awami League leaders were heavily involved in the hill-grabbing trade.

Today, control over the Motijhorna area has shifted to BNP leader Abu Taher, a prospective candidate for the General Secretary post of the local BNP unit. Taher directly owns at least 20 rented rooms built on grabbed hill land, with monthly rents ranging from Tk 5,000 to Tk7,000 per room. He now dictates who to live on the hills in that vicinity.

When asked about the situation, Abu Taher said: "There are no hills here at all. People are living on flat land."