Shabbir Elahi, Kamalganj (Moulvibazar) Correspondent:
A group of thieves has been illegally extracting sand from the Dhalai River near Jasmatpur village in Kamalganj upazila of Moulvibazar. The group threatened the villagers after demanding a halt to the illegal extraction of sand to protect their homes and agricultural land from river erosion. In protest, people from three villages formed a human chain and held a protest rally.
Around 500 people from Jasmatpur, Dakshin Dharmapur, Pathartila and Kalachhara villages participated in the human chain and protest rally in the West Jasmatpur area of Rahimpur Union of the upazila around 10 am on Tuesday.
Under the chairmanship of social worker Ayub Ali and moderated by Nazrul Islam, businessmen Kamal Mia, Abdur Rouf, Azad Mia, Nasir Mia, Amir Ali, Tahir Mia, Jewel Mia, Hridoy Mia, and others spoke.
The speakers in the human chain said, "People from influential lessees have been illegally extracting sand from the riverbed by installing dredger machines in Jasmatpur Mouza for a long time. As a result, the markets, several educational institutions, crop lands and homes along the riverbank are about to disappear into the riverbed. If the sand extraction is not stopped soon, there is a risk of major damage due to the collapse of the river protection dam in the coming monsoon. Despite multiple complaints to various departments regarding these issues, no remedy has been found." Nazrul Islam, a student of Moulvibazar Government College, said, "Due to illegal extraction of sand from the Dhalai River, there is a risk of the river protection dam, crop lands and homes being submerged in the Dhalai River." He complained, "Shiblu Khan, Rocky, Sueb Mia and Ismail Mia of this area are extracting sand from here. They are threatening us in various ways, saying that they will run us over and kill us. We are suffering from insecurity."
Regarding the allegations of illegal sand mining, businessmen Sueb Mia and Ismail Mia said, "All the statements they have made about us are false. We are not involved in sand mining and have not threatened anyone."
Kamalganj Upazila Executive Officer (UNO) Makhon Chandra Sutradhar said that illegal sand mining has been stopped. Three sand mining dredger machines have been seized. No one is claiming ownership of the dredgers for fear of arrest and fine. He also said that necessary action is being taken against those who illegally mine sand.
Shabbir Elahi, Kamalganj
