A hill in South Khulshi, Chattogram is being quietly cut using shovels and spades to avoid detection, residents say, prompting environmental concerns and an ongoing investigation by the Department of Environment.
A steep hill in South Khulshi of Chattogram is being slowly cut using manual tools such as shovels and spades rather than heavy machinery, apparently to avoid detection by authorities, according to local residents.
The hill, estimated to be about 70 to 80 feet high, is located at Green Delta Housing beside the VIP Housing Society in the area.
During a recent visit, the hilltop was found enclosed with tin sheets and barbed wire fencing. The site lies roughly 200 feet from the VIP Housing Society mosque. Several tin shed houses have been built precariously at the base of the hill while fresh marks of digging with shovels and spades were visible on the slope.
Residents alleged that two identified land grabbers, SK Khoda Toton and Jahidul Islam, have been gradually cutting the hill over the past two months. SK Khoda Toton previously served as vice president of the Chattogram metropolitan unit of BNP.
Locals said the cutting is not carried out continuously to avoid drawing attention. Instead workers dig into the hill for a day or two each week using traditional tools rather than excavators.
Mozammel Hossain, a resident of the area, said the land was earlier owned by Mohammad Manik.
“Jahidul Islam and SK Khoda Toton purchased the hill from him. Since then they have been trying to level it by cutting the slope,” he said.
Another resident, Saju, claimed the hill cutting began after 5 August 2024 but later stopped due to strict monitoring by authorities.
“The activity resumed a few days before the February elections. Instead of using excavators, labourers are slowly cutting the hill with manual tools,” he said.
According to locals, three experienced hill cutting labourers identified as Siraj, Maidul and Dina have been working on the slope, removing small portions of soil from the top. After three or four days the excavated soil is transported away using small drum trucks.
Contacted over the allegations, SK Khoda Toton denied involvement in hill cutting.
“I bought the land around 2003 through power of attorney and later divided it into several plots and sold them in 2006. If the buyers are cutting the hill now there is nothing I can do,” he said.
Rubaiyat Tahreem Sourav, senior chemist at the Department of Environment’s Chattogram Metropolitan office, said officials inspected the site after receiving complaints.
“We found evidence of hill cutting during the inspection but no workers were present at the time. An investigation is underway to identify those involved,” he said.
