Residents of villages in danger of erosion formed a human chain on the banks of the river demanding to stop illegal sand extraction and river governance.
A gang is illegally extracting sand from the river with dredgers in the area adjacent to the Padma bridge of Shariatpur Zajira Upazila without respecting government regulations.
Locals say, on the one hand, Padma Bridge, the country’s biggest project, is at serious ‘risk’; On the other hand, four villages near the Padma are in danger of disappearing.
Residents of Pinepara village of Naodoba area of Jazira Upazila formed a human chain on the banks of the river in the Majhirhat area on Tuesday demanding to stop illegal sand mining and river governance.
Zajira Upazila executive officer Kamrul Ahsan Sohail says that although some dredgers have permission, many illegal dredgers are cutting sand. However, they are conducting regular operations to stop it.
Abdul Latif Bepari, Abdul Malek Mostak, and Hakeem Mazumder of Pinepara area of Naodoba area of Zajira Upazila and locals said that hundreds of illegal dredgers are running across the vast area of Padma Bridge, the country’s biggest project in Naodoba area. A circle is running the sand extraction festival in this area.
One lakh to two lakh cubic feet of sand is cut by each dredger every day. Billions of cubic feet of sand are being cut unplanned by hundreds of dredgers. All these sands are being sold in Dhaka, Narayanganj, and other parts of the country.
Pinepara, Ahmed Majhir Kandi, Alim Uddin Bepari Kandi and Alam Khar Kandi villages of Naodoba union of Jazira Upazila are in danger of disappearing due to sand extraction. In all these villages, three government primary schools, 7-8 mosques, two madrasas, a community clinic, and a cluster village are at risk of severe erosion.
Abder Razzak Majhi, Abdul Latif Bepari, Malek Mostak, Abdul Hakim Mazumder, Md. Ali Mridha, Abul Kalam Majhi, Matiur Rahman Tepa, Anwar Hossain Majhi, and Fazlul Haque and many others spoke.
Abder Razzak Majhi said, “We have given our grandfather’s residence for Padma Bridge. Padma bridge is done today, we are very happy. Now unplanned sand is being cut from under the Padma bridge. We are in danger. If this continues, our area will disappear into the river.”
Speakers alleged that a gang of 10-15 local people from Zajira and some unscrupulous dredger traders from Munshiganj were extracting sand illegally from here. Among them are dredger traders Tuhin Faraji, Chunnu Madbar, Bachchu Madbar alias Kala Bachchu, Dabir Mollah, Sultan Mollah from the Zajira area, and Salim Dewan, Moti Madbar, and Jaher Fakir from Munshiganj district besides several dredger traders.
When asked about the complaint, Dredger businessman Bachchu Madbar said, “We are cutting sand with the permission of the bridge department.”
Zajira Upazila executive officer Kamrul Ahsan said, “There are hundreds of illegal dredgers such as Mae Anchal, Saad Enterprise, Mae Doa Enterprise, and Dewan Enterprise. We have sentenced 21 people to different terms in the last few days. Still, these illegal dredger traders cannot be stopped.”
The official said that legal action will be taken in the series of operations to stop the illegal Dredger at the Zajira border.
