Most of the illegally occupied land is in four forest ranges in Gazipur district. Of them, over 2,526 acres are in Kachighata range, 3,707 acres under Kaliakoir range, 1,330 acres under Rajendrapur range and 4,686 acres in Sreepur range, according to an estimate made by the department.

Different private organisations and powerful individuals grabbed forestland in connivance with a section of officials of district administration and forest and land departments, sources said.

Moreover, the armed forces, various government and private organisations and individuals have secured 2,262 acres of forestland under Dhaka zone either through lease or permanent arrangements, official sources said.

The army took 1,126 acres and air force 392 acres between 1966 and 1988 for various defence installations.

According to officials of the Ministry of Environment and Forest, the three services and paramilitary Bangladesh Rifles have already taken 2282,73 acres of forestland across the country and recently sought about 500 acres more.

Official figures show Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute has secured 52 acres, Bangladesh Shilpa Unnayan Sangstha six acres, Bangladesh Railway 33 acres, Roads and Highways Department 14 acres, Bangladesh Betar 334 acres, Police Department five acres, Central Jail at Kashimpur 19.46 acres, Talibabad Satellite Station 123 acres, National Scouts 8.61 acres and Girls Guide 14 acres.

Besides, GK Enterprise has taken 1.96 acres, Medicinal Plant Centre 4.50 acres, Green House Organic Farm and Orion Mushrooms Ltd 23.75 acres, Begum Jashimuddin three acres and Shamim Thakur 2.40 acres.

The forest department has so far filed 170 cases against land grabbers in Dhaka zone, which are still to be disposed of.

But sources pointed out the department merely files cases but hardly make serious efforts to recover illegally occupied land.

Environment and Forest Minister Tariqul Islam at a meeting of forest officials recently said he had received reports that dishonest officials advised land grabbers to file cases against each other, through some 'understanding', claiming ownership of forestland and in several cases such fake claimants managed to get the land.