CHITTAGONG: A forest employee who allegedly became a feared felon and grabbed some 2,000 acres of land met his Waterloo in a reported gunfight with a joint force of police and RAB in the port city early Monday.

The deceased, Akkas Ali, apparently used a political banner for personal aggrandizement, as he was president of Jangal Salimpur Bastuhara League.
    
Official sources said Ali was killed in a gunfight between a gang of forest bandits and a joint force of police and elite-force Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) in the city’s Anonya residential area.  

Police said an employee of the Forest Department, Akkas Ali was wanted in 10 cases. Besides, seven General Diaries (GD) were filed against him with different police stations.

He allegedly occupied 2,000 acres of land in the sprawling seafront city, dotted with hills, under the name of Chhinnamul Cooperative Society. The vast land spreads over seven hills.  

Reports are rife about grabbing hills and forestlands by many influential in the greater Chittagong region. There have also been protests by greens against indiscriminate hill cutting and denuding of hill forests by gobblers.                
The government also recently ordered ruthless action against such offences.      

RAB-7 Commanding Officer Lt Col Sajjad Hosain told banglanews24.com.bd that Akkas and his associates gathered in Anonya residential area for planning an attack on Islampur.

On information, a joint team of police and RAB launched a drive in the area at about 3:30am. Sensing their presence, the gangsters fired the first shot to trigger a fight with the law-enforcers.

“Akkas sustained severe bullet wounds during the shootout. He was taken to Chittagong Medical College Hospital where duty doctors declared him dead,” said a police member who was present on the scene.

Police said they recovered a gun and five spent cartridges from the spot.

They suspected Akkas and his cohorts might have planned to launch the attack to take revenge of the killing of his associate Kashem. Kashem was killed in a clash with the residents of Islampur village in 2001 while they made a bid to occupy land at Salimpur forest in Sitakunda area.

BDST: 1250 Hrs, May 24,2010
RDG/SA/LY/MUA