The news of illegally occupying government forest land and building resorts, garden houses and holiday centers is not new in the country. The influentials have been illegally occupying various forest lands through various strategies through political patronage, muscle power and huge money for ages. Obaidul Karim, owner of the controversial industrial group Orion, has illegally occupied at least 100 acres of land in the reserve forest in Bhaluka, Mymensingh and has built various establishments there, including an Orion refrigerator manufacturing factory and personal bungalows.
Not only Obaidul Karim, his brothers Beacon Group owner and former MP Ebadul Karim and Ridisha Group owner Rezaul Karim have also occupied another 100 acres of land in the same forest. According to the Forest Conservation Act, anyone is completely prohibited from entering the reserve forest without permission. Forest guards have the power to shoot anyone who tries to enter without permission. However, not only locals, but also forest officers or forest workers cannot enter the illegally occupied land of Orion. No one dared to protest due to fear of the armed security guards employed by Obaidul Karim and his brothers. However, forest department officials have filed six to seven cases against Obaidul Karim and his brothers at different times, which are pending in various courts. Obaidul Karim and his brothers have been able to stop the proceedings of the cases for years due to the influence of the high-ranking officials of the previous government. As a result, they are still alive despite illegally occupying billions of taka of state assets.
The Orion empire has been built on at least 100 acres of land opposite the Forest Range Office (Seedstore Bazar) in Bhaluka Upazila of Mymensingh. Orion owner Obaidul Karim started the process of encroaching on the forest by buying a few bighas of land next to the forest in 2016. Obaidul Karim took control of 102 acres of forest land little by little. He did not leave the reserved forest area. Among them, Orion's refrigerator manufacturing factory has been set up on 154 dag of land in Habirbari bit in Bhaluka Reserve Forest. Obaidul Karim's brother, Ebadul Karim, owner of Beacon Group, has occupied 154 and 185 dags of the same bit and 107 dags of land in Kathali bit. Another brother of theirs, Rezaul Karim, owner of Ridisha Group, has also occupied 185 and 107 dags of land in Habirbari bit. Out of these dags, the total area of forest land in 154 dags is 201 acres, which Obaidul Karim and Ebadul Karim have illegally occupied. It is alleged that when the Awami League-led government came to power in 2009, Obaidul Karim and Ebadul Karim started trying to encroach on the land of the Bhaluka Forest Division. By 2016, that attempt was somewhat successful. They occupied the lands, which are more valuable than gold, located along the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway, without much hindrance. The Forest Department has only filed a case and has been held accountable. Locals said that Obaidul Karim and the other two brothers were able to illegally occupy the lands by using their power, sometimes by using lathi-charge, and sometimes by lining the pockets of dishonest officials of the Forest Department. In this regard Bhaluka Range Forest Officer (RFO) Harunur Rashid told a media, "The total forest land in Bhaluka Range is 13,000 acres. Of this, 8,000 acres have been encroached upon. In addition to Orion, Beacon, Ridisha and some influential individuals and organizations have illegally occupied these lands.