Illegal sand lifting goes on unabated in Srimangal:

Sangram Datta: Illegal sand lifting goes on unabated from various streams of Srimangal Upazilla including Bhunobir Union Area in Moulvibazar district recently.

The statuses of Journalists Biswajyoti Chowdhury Bulet, Bikul Chakraborty, Saiful Islam,  Gholam Kibria Jewel, Anwar Hossain Jashim, M.A Sukur along with other newsmen have already gone viral in the social media with pictures and videos of illegal sand lifting and smuggling. 

Journalist's leader Biswajyoti Chowdhury Bulet in his Facebook post said that illegal sand extraction has, again, become active and a so-called leader is behind this and another newsman Bikul Chakraborty in another comment asserted that an influential leader is managing everything in this connection.

Newsman Anwar Hossain Jashim in his Facebook ID posted and said that an effective step should be taken to immediately stop the illegall sand lifting or whether the administration is involved behind it, He raised a question in his post.

A syndicate gang of influential men in Srimangal has been illegally extracting from different streams of the Upazilla including Bhunobir Union Area and selling a huge amount of sand by trucks to various places after the political changeover of 5 August in this year. 

Some commentators say it's activities have only changed hands after 5 August political changeover.

Many people alleged that some powerful leaders are benefiting from the illegal sand lifting although the government is losing a huge amount of revenue.

Sand extraction begins under the supervision of powerful syndicate gang. As a result, local people are afraid to open their mouths for fear of life and involvement in false cases, it's reported.

Moreover, Journalist Gulam Kibria  alleged in his Facebook post that soil is being extracted from agricultural land from different areas of the upazila causing environmental damage.

It may be mentioned here that an eight-year-old girl and her aunty were smashed by under the wheels of a truck loaded with sand, have died  due to illegal sand smuggling by the powerful syndicate gang at Srimangal Upazilla in Moulvibazar district on July- 01 during the previous regime.

Truck loaded with sand that lifted from nearby stream and crashed aunty and her niece under the wheels of the truck previous died on the spot and later critically injured niece succumbed to her injuries on the way to Sylhet MAG Medical College Hospital on July -01.

The tragic incident took place when the loaded truck with illegal sand was passing the road at Patrikul area of Bhunibir Union in Srimangal Upazilla under Moulvibazar district.

The victims identified as aunty Piara Begum (55), daughter of Kalim Ulla, who was abandoned by her husband in Paschim Patrikul area of ​​the upazila, and Sadia Akhter (8), daughter of Dudu Mia of Alisharkul area in the Upazilla.

Following the tragic two deaths, angry mob agitated, raised slogans as saying Gushkur ( Bribe takers) in front of the then UNO, Local Upazilla chairman, OC of the police administration and demanded immediately stop of lifting sand from the streams.

Even, a local newsman named Tanveer Islam Kawsar of West Loyarkul village under Bhunbir Union in  the Upazila was attacked and injured by some hoodlums at Bhunobir Chowmuhani on 4 October 2023 while He was performing his duty. Aunt  Khush Bhanu Begum of the victim  filed a case with the Srimangal police station in this regard.

It's learnt that an influential quarter made a syndicate and extracted sand from various streams of the Upazilla for a long period of times. Even, A student was killed by a truck loaded with sand at Higlibazar area in the Upazilla in 2019.

Many  reports were covered in the print and electronic media following illegall sand lifting in a decade, but no drastic action was taken against the organized gang so far.