Tk 28 crore embankment worth broken

Desperate sand traders in Madaripur. This is wasting state resources. Thousands of people are worried. Due to sand extraction, the embankment built at a cost of Tk 28 crore on the Ariyal Khan river at Shibchar in Madaripur has broken. On November 2, a part of the dam broke at Baheratala-Kalatla point in Shivchar. The people living on the banks of the river are worried. Locals complain that this situation has arisen due to the lifting of sand from the river by illegal dredger machines.

Not only Kalatala point but also many other places including Shibchar's Kathalbari, Charjanajat are like this. At least 5 wards of Shibchar's Charjanajan Union have been submerged due to illegal sand mining. Thousands of people from 10 unions including Kathalbari union are threatened to go under the river as a result of sand mining. Many people have made mountains of illegal money by extracting sand freely without lease from Padma, Ariyal Kha Rivers over the years. The government is losing revenue due to illegal sand extraction and several areas along the river including Charjanajat, Kathalbari, Bandarkhola, Madbarerchar are under threat.

A sand trader, who did not want to be named, said that Hatem Bepari, Mohsin, Tanveer, Raju Sarkar, Tuhin Munsi, Shaheen Munsi, Muzaffar Munsi have created fake documents in the name of supposing sand mining in Padma river. They make fake sand mining permission documents and use different people to mine sand. However, the accused have denied the allegations of sand mining and making fake sand mining documents. However, no permission has been given from the Madaripur district administration office to extract sand. In this regard, Additional Deputy Commissioner (Revenue) of Madaripur and spokesperson of the district administration Nazmul Hossain said that no one has been given permission to extract sand in Madaripur. Our regular operation against illegal sand traders continues.

Sajeda Begum, a local resident of Charjanajat area, said that our village is under threat due to sand extraction. They lift sand at night. Some say different types of threats.

Sanaul Quader Khan, Executive Engineer of Madaripur Water Development Board, said that due to the extraction of sand, a solution constructed at a cost of Tk 28 crore in Shibchar has collapsed. If illegal sand extraction is not stopped, there is a danger of further erosion.

ZH