MINTU DESHWARA, Moulvibazar

Illegal sand extraction from hills, streams and agricultural land in Sreemangal upazila of Moulvibazar continues unabated despite sustained administrative campaigns, causing significant environmental damage and revenue losses.

Mobile court drives by local administration, fines and filing of criminal cases so far proved largely inadequate to rein in the illegal trade, while the government is losing at least Tk 6-7 crore in revenues annually.

Illegal extraction has been reported from multiple locations, including Langliachhara, Sindurkhan Tea Garden, Kunjaban, Kamargaon, Chirigaon, Putiachhara, Bilash river, Makrichhara, Gandhichhara, Ichhamtichhara, Joyitachhara, Barachhara and Boulachhara, as well as parts of Kalapur, Sreemangal Sadar, Kalighat and Rajghat unions.

During a recent drive, the upazila administration seized around 10,000 cubic feet of illegally extracted sand from different locations in Bhunbir union and confiscated three extraction machines and related equipment, said Upazila Assistant Commissioner (Land) Mohibullah Akon.

In recent months, at least 25 such drives have been conducted in Sindurkhan, Bhunbir, Matiganj, and Kalapur unions. Mobile courts fined 10 individuals a total of Tk 6 lakh under the Sand and Soil Quarry (Balumahal) Management Act. Several excavators were seized and destroyed, while around 30,000 cubic feet of sand were confiscated, he added.

Also, during a joint drive by the Rapid Action Battalion, Border Guard Bangladesh, police, and the upazila administration, a sand-laden truck attempted to flee and hit a CNG-run auto-rickshaw and a battery-powered three-wheeler, leaving six people injured.

Angry locals later vandalised and set the truck on fire and blocked the Sreemangal-Mirzapur road for around four hours. Journalists covering the incident were also reportedly attacked. The local MP, the upazila nirbahi officer and law enforcement personnel later intervened to restore order.

On May 2, Bhunbir Union Land Assistant Officer Himel Paul filed a case against 20 named individuals, including Ferdous Mia, Ahad Mia and Kawsar Mia, for illegal sand extraction and environmental destruction in the Bhunbir and Mirzapur areas.

According to the case statement, the accused had extracted sand from hilly terrain and areas adjacent to farmland for a prolonged period, disrupting the ecological balance and threatening agricultural land, settlements and local infrastructure.

More than 30 hill streams in Sreemangal flow into Hail Haor, forming an important ecological network in a region considered highly vulnerable to earthquakes. Unchecked sand extraction is causing these streams to gradually disappear.

“We used to grow paddy right up to the edge of Putiachhara stream. Now its banks have collapsed, the water flow has reduced, and our farmland is shrinking every season. Raids, fines and cases continue, yet the sand lifting continues from our area,” said Sajjad Mia, a local farmer.

Advocate Shah Shaheda Akhter, Sylhet regional coordinator of the Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association, said sand extraction from farmland despite a High Court ban amounts to contempt of court.

Moulvibazar-4 lawmaker Md Mujibur Rahman Chowdhury acknowledged the scale of the problem and said necessary steps will be taken.