Cox’s Bazar Correspondent:

A forest officer named Sajjad Hossain was crushed by a truck while chasing the illegal soil-laden truck in Ukhia, Cox’s Bazar.

The accident occurred in the Harinmara area of the Rajapalong Union of the upazila on Sunday morning. Sajjad’s house is in Ghazaria of Munshiganj. He was posted as Forest Officer of Dochiri Forest in Ukhiya.

Ukhia Range Officer Gazi Md. Shafiul Alam said that his colleague Sajjad went to conduct the operation based on the news that some bandits were illegally cutting mountains and smuggling soil in the Ukhia Rajapalong Harinmara area. After going to the spot, Sajjad signaled the truck to stop first. When the truck went forward disobeying the signal, beat officer Sajjad Hossain and two others chased the truck on a motorcycle. At one point, Sajjad blocked the way of the truck. But the driver drove the truck over Sajjad, he was killed on the spot. Later the truck driver fled.

Shamim Hossain, OC of Ukhia police station, said that one forest officer was killed after being hit by the forest bandits’ truck. The body has been recovered. Efforts are on to arrest the accused driver.