Lalmai Hills Threatened by Hill Cutting and Construction

CUMILLA, Bangladesh — The Lalmai-Mainamati hill range in Cumilla, home to significant archaeological remains and diverse wildlife, is facing mounting threats from hill cutting, unplanned construction and encroachment, prompting calls for stronger measures to protect the historically and ecologically important landscape. Despite High Court directives, enforcement operations and fines imposed by the Department of Environment (DoE), hill excavation and vegetation destruction continue to be reported in several parts of the range. Residents and environmental stakeholders are urging authorities to strengthen monitoring and enforcement to preserve the hills for future generations.

Stretching approximately nine kilometres from north to south, about nine kilometres west of Cumilla city, the Lalmai-Mainamati hill range covers around 34 square kilometres, according to a 2015 publication by the Department of Archaeology. The hills reach a maximum height of approximately 55 metres, with an average elevation of 21 metres. The palace associated with Queen Mainamati stands at the northern end of the range, while the ancient Chandimura Temple is located at the southern end.

The area is a major archaeological zone, with remains associated with at least six dynasties and 34 kings. Systematic archaeological excavations began in 1955, and more than 50 archaeological sites have since been identified. Among the best-known sites are Shalban Vihara, Rupban Mura, Itakhola Mura, Ananda Vihara, Kotila Mura and Charpatra Mura, along with the palace of Queen Mainamati and Chandimura Temple.

Afroza Khan Mita, regional director of the Department of Archaeology for the Chattogram and Sylhet divisions, said archaeological remains were scattered throughout the hills and that excavations continued to uncover new discoveries. She warned that indiscriminate hill cutting and construction could destroy archaeological remains that have yet to be discovered, causing irreversible damage to the region’s historical heritage.

Cumilla University began operations on 50 acres of hilly land in 2006. In 2021, more than 200 acres were acquired for its second campus, including 131 acres classified as hills and hillocks. Construction of several buildings is now underway at the site.

Salman Chowdhury Shawon, deputy director of the Department of Environment in Cumilla, said he had inspected several large buildings at the university. After reviewing the relevant documents, he found that construction appeared to have proceeded without an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report. He said an application concerning the matter had been sent to the ministry but had not yet received approval.

S. M. Shahidul Hasan, the university’s project director and superintending engineer, said the university administration had applied to the Department of Environment for permission to construct buildings on the hills. The approval process was being handled by the ministry, he added.

Hill cutting has also been reported in the Bara Dharmapur, Salmanpur and Jammura areas of Sadar Dakshin upazila, where resorts, amusement facilities and other structures have been developed. In 2021, the Department of Environment filed an enforcement case against a contracting firm over the excavation of more than 114,000 cubic feet of hill soil during construction of a 14-kilometre road in Bara Dharmapur.

A hill in the area has also been fenced with steel for a proposed tourist park and botanical garden. Nearby, vegetation within a protected forest area has reportedly been cleared in connection with an initiative to establish an eye hospital. Local residents say two resorts, Neelkunja and Kashban, near Mainamati Museum have been operating for about a decade. They allege that hills were cut to develop the facilities.

In Salmanpur, construction of Magic Paradise amusement park began in 2019 within a protected forest area. Residents claim that around 50 acres of hilly forest land have been damaged by the development of resorts, restaurants and other facilities. A dinosaur park has also been established in Jammura following hill cutting, with signs of further hill levelling reportedly remaining visible.

According to the Forest Department, the hills have undergone substantial ecological changes over recent decades. The area once supported dense vegetation, bamboo groves and wild creepers, providing habitats for wildlife including wild boars, fishing cats, foxes, langurs, porcupines and hares, as well as numerous bird species.

Indiscriminate hill cutting, vegetation clearance and expanding settlements have contributed to the degradation of these natural habitats, raising concerns about the long-term survival of local wildlife.

On February 12, 2023, the High Court ordered a halt to destructive activities, including hill levelling, in the Lalmai Hills and other hilly areas following a writ petition filed by the Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (BELA). The directives covered several parties, including Cumilla University, the Roads and Highways Department, relevant contractors and Magic Paradise Park.

Nurunnahar, divisional forest officer of the Social Forestry Division in Cumilla, said the Forest Department was working to recover encroached forest land in the hills. A legal case is pending over three acres of land occupied by Cumilla University, she added.

A. B. M. Moshiuzzaman, additional deputy commissioner (revenue) of Cumilla, said that although most of the hills were privately owned, hill cutting was strictly prohibited by law. The administration conducts enforcement drives whenever it receives reports of such activities, he said, adding that these interventions had significantly reduced hill levelling.

Despite enforcement measures, environmentalists and local residents say sustained monitoring, proper environmental assessments and coordinated action by the relevant authorities are essential to prevent further destruction.

They stress that protecting the Lalmai-Mainamati hill range is important not only for conserving biodiversity but also for safeguarding an irreplaceable part of Bangladesh’s archaeological, historical and cultural heritage. Without effective protection and responsible development, the destruction of the hills could permanently damage both the region’s natural ecosystems and its archaeological legacy.