Illegal sand pits at foot of Hardinge Bridge

Ishwardi (Pabna) Correspondent :

Illegal sand pits, known as ‘Balur Khola’ by local sand traders, have encroached on the banks of the Padma River near the historic Hardinge Bridge in Pakshi, Ishwardi. The sand business has been going on for years just by ‘managing’ without VAT-tax by arranging piles of sand as big as hills. Cost means boat rental, subscription and labor cost. Some local leaders of Awami League are alleged to be behind the opening of Balur. Allegedly, Pakshi Divisional Land Office of Railways, other law enforcement agencies and administration are helping them to continue this illegal sand business in KPI areas. During the monsoon season, the flow of the Padma river is obstructed and its course changed due to sand piles. The safety of the pillar and guide bank of the bridge is threatened.
Going to the surface, sand piles were seen across a large area of the Guide Bank on the banks of the Padma next to the Hardinge Bridge in Pakshi. The regulators of the sand trade do not call the area Balumhal, they call it open sand. They claim that they are doing business by bringing sand from other places and piling it here. Railway authorities and Pakistani naval police do not even see this. Locals have alleged that they also have cooperation in sand trade.
It is known that a large area along the banks of the river Padma near the Hardinge Bridge is leased from the Railway Land Office for agricultural purposes. But there is no agriculture here. Sand business is going on there on rent from tenant farmers. Hardinge Bridge, a century-old heritage and important railway bridge of the country, and Lalon Shah Bridge are under threat due to the operation of sand business. But despite this, sand extraction and business did not stop. Hardinge Bridge and Lalon Shah Bridge are covered behind the huge pile of sand as the pile grows.
The traders of Balumhal said that they are selling the sand by piling up the land on rent. Going to the ground on Thursday afternoon, it can be seen that trucks and tractors are coming and going with sand at regular intervals. Giving money to specific person after loading sand. An average of 1,000 trucks and tractors of sand are sold here every day. In terms of money, sand worth 20-30 lakh rupees is sold daily from these ghats. Millions of rupees are collected daily from these openings by calculating per truck and feet of sand.
Divisional Engineer of Railways (DEN-2) Birbal Mondal said, the water flow of Padma river is mainly upstream water flow. When the British built the Hardinge Bridge, the embankment (guide bank) was extended far upstream to protect the bridge. Now the Guide Bank is suffering greatly due to Balumhal. Along with that, the navigability of Padma river has also decreased. He said, it is very important to shift the ballast downstream of the bridge.
This will save the bridge.
Pakshi Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) Shah Sufi Noor Mohammad said that the sand belongs to the railway. Because of this, the pillars of Hardinge Bridge are getting damaged. Guide banks are banked to protect the pillars. The guide bank is also suffering heavy damage due to the deposit of sand. Our land office looks after these lands. Told them about this. Stating that the railway does not get any income from the sand trading center, DRM also said that the technical aspect is more important than earning income. Local influential cliques control the sand trade. Asks to remove sand in Apse. But they don’t care. Force will be used to defend Hardinge Bridge and Guide Bank if not withdrawn.
Upazila Administration Assistant Commissioner (Land) TA Rahsin Kabir said that the area around Hardinge Bridge is under KPI. He said that there is no balumhal or business opportunity in the area under KPI. He said that there is no recognized Balumhal in Ishwardi.