Stop illegal sand extraction

We are alarmed at the news of sand extraction that has been going on for the last eight months in four villages of Habiganj’s Bahubal upazila, jeopardising the lives and properties of local people. Sadly, not only in Habiganj, illegal sand extraction from rivers, canals and hills have been going on all across the country despite there being specific laws and High Court orders prohibiting such activities. It is now clear that no amount of law can stop these greedy businessmen and local political leaders from carrying out these unlawful activities unless there is strict enforcement of the laws and political commitment from the government to save our environment.

In Habiganj’s Bahubal upazila, sand is being extracted from Kalichhara canal which flows through these four villages. Already many farmers of the villages have lost their land due to land subsidence, and the fertility of the agricultural land has also been affected.

What is most unfortunate is that despite written complaints by the villagers to the authorities, nothing substantial has been done to stop the mindless practice. Although the authorities have said that they conducted raids through mobile courts, burned the dredger machines and even fined some of the sand traders, our reporter has found no visible improvement of the situation in the area. It is also difficult to believe the local Jubo League leaders’ claim that the canal was leased out to them by the government for sand extraction.  We urge the government to immediately cancel the lease in order to save the four villages of Habiganj from an environmental disaster. We also hope that the authorities will enforce the relevant laws to stop illegal sand extraction once and for all.