Illegal lifting of sand threatens the bridge over the Bangalee river, and also farmlands and homesteads in Dhunat upazila of the district.

An influential local person has been lifting sand illegally with dredgers at Bererbari in Nimgaci under the upazila.

Locals said sand trader Raihan Ahmed took lease for lifting sand in the area this year. The rules stipulate that the lessee can lift sand without boring, but the lessee and local union parishad (UP) member Nabab Ali have placed dredgers near the bridge and are lifting sand illegally by using pipes to bore into the riverbed.

The boring has created a huge hole in the riverbed, which is threatening the bridge and erosion of farmlands and houses on both sides of the river, they added.

UP sources said mobile courts were con-

ducted twice, which fined them Tk 50,000 each time, but they started lifting sand again.

Azibor Rahman and Muzam Sheikh of Bererbari area said the villagers informed the local administration about the matter, but the officials did not take any initiative to stop the sand lifting.

Raihan and Nabab Ali said they have been lifting sand following the rules.

Upazila Engineer of Local Government Engineering Department Shafiqul Islam said the lessee has to lift sand from at least 500 metres away from the bridge. If he does not follow the rule, the bridge may collapse and action will be taken against him, he added.

Upazila Nirbahi Officer of Dhunat Mohammad Ibrahim said he will look into the matter and take action against the people lifting sand illegally.