Illegal sand extraction threatens 10 villages in Sunamganj

Illegal sand extraction from the Chela and Mora Chela rivers in Doarabazar upazila of Sunamganj is threatening at least 10 villages, destroying riverbanks, cropland and local biodiversity, residents have alleged.
Locals said a syndicate was using more than 100 dredgers and other machinery to extract sand from riverbanks and farmland near the mouth of the Mora Chela, particularly from midnight to dawn. The sand is loaded onto bulkheads and boats for sale, causing severe erosion and forcing families to leave their homes.
Two local areas, Kalabagan and Gedur Dhala, have already been submerged due to the uncontrolled extraction, they said. The Gedur Dhala canal has also widened into a river larger than the Mora Chela, according to residents. They fear that continued sand extraction could submerge at least 10 villages, including Sonapur North, Sonapur East and Sonapur South, and have urged the authorities to take immediate action. Locals alleged that a syndicate backed by influential figures was involved in the illegal business. More than 200 people, operating in around four groups, are reportedly involved in the operation. There are also allegations of illegal toll collections at different points to facilitate sand extraction and transportation.
Local residents, including Rafiqul Islam and Majid Miah, said the uncontrolled use of dredgers was changing the natural course of the rivers, destabilising riverbanks and intensifying erosion. They warned that the activities were also threatening government resources, the river ecosystem and navigability.
The Department of Environment (DoE) estimates that around 2.5 million cubic feet of sand extracted by cutting the banks of the Mora Chela, also known as Sonali Chela, over 10 days had a market value of about Tk5 crore. The DoE has filed a case against 37 named individuals and 10 to 15 unidentified people over the incident. Md Mohaiminul Haque, assistant director of the DoE's Sunamganj district office, filed the case with Doarabazar Police Station on 6 October, under the Bangladesh Environment Conservation Act.
The case names alleged offenders from Doarabazar and Chhatak upazilas of Sunamganj and Companiganj upazila of Sylhet. Earlier, a joint task force conducted a drive at the sand extraction sites on the Chela and Mora Chela rivers around midnight on 1 October. Three cases were filed over sand extraction in violation of lease conditions and designated boundaries, and fines totalling Tk 1.5 lakh were collected during the drive.
DoE Assistant Director of Sunamganj district Mohaiminul Haque said the accused had illegally cut riverbanks and extracted large quantities of sand, causing environmental damage. “After the investigation, an officer of the Department of Environment will submit a charge sheet to the court,” he said.