Photo : Messenger
Although the government is active in various ways to prevent environmentally destructive sand extraction in the three hill districts of Bandarban, Rangamati and Khagrachari, sand extraction is going on freely in Bolipara union of Thanchi upazila of the district, destroying the bottom of Sangu river.
As a result of sand extraction with dredger machines for the last one and a half months, the geo-natural environment, biodiversity, fisheries and aquatic animals, cropland and ecology of that side of the river have been destroyed. There is a huge risk of landslide there during monsoon. Allegations of involvement of a businessman and two members including the chairman of the union have been found in this environmentally destructive work.
According to the locals, sand is being extracted from the bottom of the Sangu near Kowaingje neighborhood of Ward No. 6 of the union. Due to the extraction, a hole has been formed on the river bank of approximately 40 decimal land. Various species of aquatic animals including fish are blocked in this hole. Excavated sand is being stored on the banks of the river. About one and a half acres of cropland is stocked with three huge sand piles. Already more than two hundred truckloads of sand have been smuggled.
The river bed has increased abnormally in an area of approximately five acres where the sand has been lifted. As a result of this, the local people are afraid of the risk of landslides during the monsoon.
Approximately 75 km of the Bandarban-Thanchi road has passed through Bricksling Road to Dintepara to Kowaingje Para. Bricksling Road ends in front of the Buddhist monastery and government primary school of this neighborhood. After reaching there, a number of dredging machines are seen.
When spoken to there, worker Altaj Miah told The Daily Messenger that the main contractor for sand extraction is Kazi Nurul Anwar, son of Kazi Abdul Mumin of Bagaichhari Para, Faisyakhali Union of Lama Upazila. Bolipara Union Parishad Chairman JiaAung Marma, Ward No. 2 member Uchawnue Marma and Ward No. 6 member and resident of Kowaingje neighborhood Mongthwaisha Marma are supervising this work as subcontractors. He claimed that earlier 8-10 trucks of sand were taken. According to workers, the three stockpiled sand piles contain the equivalent of approximately 800 truckloads of sand.
Speaking to The Daily Messenger, Mongthwaisha Marma told that the sand is being extracted for 40-45 days. Anowar is the contractor of the project. He claims that 15 trucks of sand have already been extracted.
Uchawnue Marma told The Daily Messenger, “According to the contract, we are selling sand to contractor Anowar at Tk 17 per cubic foot. Besides, we have sold two trucks of sand for the construction of Bricksling road in Kowaije.” However, he did not want to tell how many trucks of sand have been sold so far.
Contractor Kazi Nurul Anowar has denied the allegation and claimed, “I did not take sand from Thanchi. I took sand from the Swalok of Bandarban and Chakaria.”
He also told that sand is extracted from several places including Naidari in Thanchi. In between, sand is being extracted from the port behind Thanchi College with four machines. Among them, two dredger machines belong to the syndicate of Montu Ghosh and Mizan from Chakaria of Cox's Bazar. The other two belong to Chawhai Marma and Anil Tripura respectively.
JiaAung Marma denied the allegations of involvement in this work. He claims that he has always protested against illegal stone and sand mining. However, he avoided answering the question whether any initiative has been taken to stop the ongoing sand mining.
Thanchi UNO Md Mamun said illegal sand mining must be stopped. He told The Daily Messenger, "I will visit Thanchi and take legal action as soon as possible. Those involved will not be exempted.”
Messenger/Fameema
