Survey Errors Fuel Hill Destruction in Chattogram

Just beyond the 3 No. Bazaar on the Hatahazari–Bhatiari link road in Chattogram stands a 50–60 foot high hill. At its base are semi-permanent homes, and fresh cuts on the slope reveal that land is being cleared for new settlements.

Though the hill is clearly visible, survey records list the land as nal—a category usually applied to low-lying farmland. Land office documents show the 7.5-acre site under “Jungle Dakshin Pahartali mouza” was mistakenly recorded as nal during the Bangladesh Survey (BS), even though it is a natural hill.

On inspection, the slopes appear unstable, with bushes but no large trees. Officials confirmed that about 160 decimals of this hill, locally known as Mia’s Hill, were wrongly classified in the records.

This is not an isolated case. Across Chattogram city, Hathazari, and Sitakunda, more than 1,400 acres of hills and hillocks were registered under the wrong land categories—such as nal, shankhola (areas with jute-like plants), khila (uncultivated land), or bari (homestead). These errors, dating back to surveys starting in 1970, opened loopholes that allow land grabbers to flatten hills for housing and commercial use.

Loopholes in Law and Enforcement

Bangladesh’s environmental law prohibits hill-cutting unless done with approval for “national interest.” But when survey records list hills under different names, enforcement becomes difficult. Environmental officials admit that when they press charges, courts often prioritize survey records over visible reality, making convictions rare.

A government prosecutor for Chattogram’s environment court explained: “If land is recorded as hill, officials can act immediately. But if the record says otherwise, proving illegal cutting in court is almost impossible.”

The Chattogram Development Authority (CDA), which approves building plans, also struggles. Although it resolved not to permit construction on hills, CDA officers often rely on land records instead of site visits, due to manpower shortages. As a result, buildings continue to rise on misclassified hill plots.

Hills Flattened for Profit

Examples are found across the city. At Askar Dighi, part of a 127-foot hill was labeled as bari land. This allowed a high-rise project to gain approval in 2022, despite 87 conditions prohibiting hill cutting. Later inspections confirmed portions of the hill were indeed leveled, yet construction advanced to six floors.

Similarly, in West Khulshi’s Ruposhi Hill—classified as shankhola—developers sliced the slopes to create plots for sale. Even after fines from environmental officials, the cutting continued.

Satellite studies confirm the scale of destruction. A Chattogram University researcher found that between 1976 and 2008, nearly 57% of the city’s hill area disappeared—shrinking from 32.37 sq km to just 14.2 sq km.

Largest Misclassification in Hathazari

Hathazari upazila has the most hills wrongly recorded under categories like nal or shankhola. Over 1,200 acres across more than 250 plots fall into this category. Neighboring Sitakunda also faces widespread hill loss, especially in Salimpur, where hundreds of government-owned hills have been cut and sold off.

The Department of Environment (DoE) recently surveyed 27 hills in Chattogram that were misclassified, confirming the errors. Officials have sent reports to the national office, and a process is underway to reclassify such land back into the proper “hill” category.

Environmental Impact

Hills play a vital ecological role—stabilizing soil, protecting against earthquakes, and sheltering diverse wildlife. Cutting them disrupts biodiversity, worsens flooding by filling natural drainage, and increases urban heat.

Professor Alok Pal of Chattogram University warns: “Losing hills breaks food chains, destroys habitats, and strips away green cover. We urgently need a separate survey focusing only on hill and forest conservation.”

A Long History of Hill Cutting

Historians believe large-scale hill cutting in Chattogram began as far back as 1760 under the East India Company. The city’s 1961 master plan even recommended removing hills for new housing. The pace accelerated after independence, with rapid urbanization around the port.

In 1990, Chattogram’s population was 2.35 million; today it is nearly 7 million. With the growth came relentless pressure to flatten hills, often justified through survey errors or outdated records.