An attack on the motorcade of Syeda Rizwana Hasan, Adviser to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, as well as the Ministry of Water Resources, has left six journalists injured in Sherpur.
The incident occurred on Monday afternoon in the Dawdhara Katabon area of Nalitabari upazila, near the Sherpur border. Adviser Rizwana Hasan was visiting the forested region, surrounded by the Garo Hills, to inspect a proposed tourism project. The visit followed objections raised by the Forest Department regarding the initiative, which was taken up by the local administration.
During her visit, the Adviser firmly stated, "No tourism centre will be built on forest land," adding that plans are underway to establish an elephant sanctuary in the area.
Her remarks sparked outrage among a section of the local population. Supporters and opponents of the tourism project clashed, eventually blocking the adviser's motorcade and staging protests. The situation escalated when a group of agitators launched an attack on the journalists accompanying the motorcade, leaving at least six media personnel injured.
Those injured include Zahidul Khan Sourav of Ekattor TV, video journalist Babu Chakraborty of Somoy TV, Naeem Islam of Bangla TV, Shahriar Shakir of Bangladesh-er Khobor, and two others.
According to the Forest Department, approximately 21,000 acres of forest land stretch across three administrative ranges in Sherpur's Garo Hill region. Around 15% of this land is currently under illegal occupation. The local administration recently proposed building a tourism centre on 223 acres of government land, 32 acres of which have been designated as a protected stone quarry. Following the Forest Department's objections, construction activities were halted.
Speaking to reporters, Adviser Rizwana Hasan reiterated, "This forest is a national asset and must not be destroyed under the guise of tourism." She confirmed that efforts are underway to designate the area as a wildlife sanctuary for elephants.
The incident has sparked widespread criticism on social media, with many expressing concern over the attack on journalists. Local journalists and members of the Sherpur Press Club have condemned the violence and voiced serious concern for the safety of media professionals.
