Croplands, houses threatened

Illegal sand lifting and earth cutting from the Nagor river and its dam area are threatening farmlands and homesteads and creating ecological imbalance in Dupchanchia, Kahaloo and Adamdighi upazilas of the district.

Locals said 12 to 15 ruling party men, some local influential people and a few Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) men are allegedly involved in the illegal activities.

Momena Begum, 63, of Gunpara village in Kahaloo upazila, said, “Journalists take snapshots, videos and information about the sand and soil lifting that threatens our croplands and homesteads, but no action has been taken to stop such activities.”

Jalal Uddin, 55, a victim, said, “The river has changed its direction due to sand lifting and eroded my homestead and land.”

“Ruling party men and influential sand lifters have been threatening farmers' lands by easily getting soil to sell to the brick kilns,” said a resident of Chakla Shashanghat.

Over 500-600 bighas of land in Bakultola, Gunpara, Fakirpara, Chakla Shashanghat, Kumarpara, Dewanpukur north and south, Panchthita, Belpara under Kahaloo upazila, Filitola, Polipara, Shabla under Dupchanchia upazila and Bagadaha, Kalipara and Palongkuri under Adamdighi upazila are the areas worst affected by sand lifting and soil cutting.

Illegal sand lifting at Kalipara in Adamdighi upazila under the same district causes similar menaces. Photo: Mamun-ur-Rashid

Member of Kahaloo upazila unit of Awami League (AL) Shamim Hossian, sports secretary of Dupchanchia unit of Jubo League Ripon Mia, Amirul Islam Bakul and an activist of Kalai union unit of BNP Hashu Mia, along with some activists of AL and BNP, are allegedly carrying out the illegal sand lifting. 

Ripon said he has been lifting the sand from land belonging to his uncle, but he could not explain why they were cutting soil from the dam area, causing erosion of the land of others.

Shamim Hossian said they had bought abandoned land beside the river to supply sand and soil to the brick kilns of Nur, Daulot, Shaju, Bachchu, without having permission from the administration.

Kalai union parishad Chairman, also a Sramik League leader, Abu Taher Sardar Hannan said he has informed the authorities concerned about the matter, but the sand lifters have continued conducting destructive activities.

President of Dupchanchia upazila unit of AL Mizanur Rahman Khan Selim said they strongly protested the illegal activities, and are fighting to protect the ecology of the area.

Deputy Commissioner of Bogra Md Ashraf Uddin said some sand lifting equipment have already been destroyed and he will take further action soon.