Sylhet Bureau :
The sand lifting syndicate in the Dhalai Bridge river in Companiganj, Sylhet has become reckless. Videos of the riverside, market, graveyard, and homes being destroyed by breaking the rules on the pretext of leasing sand palaces have gone viral on social media.
Locals allege that the upazila administration is inaction and that no action is being taken against the looters on some invisible signal, according to local residents and affected locals. Multiple local sources claim that even though raids are conducted occasionally, it is called eyewash.
Locals allege that when a local resident informed Liton Taj OC Ratan Sheikh about the allegations of widespread looting, he told the locals to chase away the sand-eating syndicate. The allegations of sand looting from under the Dhalai Bridge have been going on for several months. Recently, sand miners have attacked the bridge area due to the low water level. In the riverside areas of Kalabari, Murshabori Bazar, Uttar Rajnagar, and Dakshin Dhala Par.
On-site inspection showed that if the locals want to block the path of the destruction of paved roads, markets, and homes, they are threatened.
Although the discussed white stone looting has been stopped, the extraction of sand from the bridge area, paved roads along the banks, graveyards, and cropland, including the bottom of the Dhalai Bridge, cannot be stopped due to a powerful syndicate.
Investigation revealed that a syndicate in the Uttar Rajnagar area is selling sand at 20/22 taka per foot on the pretext of being the owner of occupied/recorded land. From late night till morning, they are filling bulkheads with hundreds of listers and grabbing lakhs of taka. As a result, cropland including homes, roads, and cropland are being destroyed without anyone noticing.
Local residents Liton Taj, Badsha Mia, Jamal Mia and many others have alleged that the riots are continuing with the connivance of influential circles. Among them, the names of Matiur, Ataur, Tajul Mia, Madhur Mia and Chamak Ali of Uttar Rajnagar village are on everyone’s lips.
Taiyab Ali’s father is the deceased Abdul Hamid
On the other hand, a local resident named Jamal filed a complaint with the police station last month to save his homestead against local influential Uttar Rajnagar residents Samchu, Rafiq, Ali Akbar, Rahim and some unknown people.
The local administration has not yet taken any action after a nominal investigation into the progress of the case or against those involved.
When this reporter contacted local elder Yakub Ali, he said that the area has been facing great damage due to sand mining near the market, paved roads and houses near the village for a long time. Despite the social restrictions and prohibitions imposed by local public representatives, the looting stops occasionally. However, Murabbi Yakub Ali expressed hope that if the looting resumes in the future, the journalists will be helped.
Meanwhile, when asked about the looting, one of the accused, Matiur Mia, said that our ancestral land is on the riverbank, but he is not involved in the sale of sand. In response to a question, he told the reporter that he did not know anything about his brother’s presence on social media and sand looting.
When the reporter contacted the UNO of the Upazila Administration, Companyganj, Md. Robin Mia, about this matter, he advised the victims to contact the OC. Can’t the Upazila Administration take any action against those who are destroying government roads and riverbanks without filing a case? In response to questions, UNO Robin Mia told the reporter that he will tell you what can be done in this regard later.
In this regard, the officer-in-charge of Companiganj Police Station, OC Md. Ratan Sheikh, PPM, said that basically, on the pretext of encroachment on the banks of the area, sand syndicates are giving opportunities to the forces to loot sand at a nominal price. One brother sells sand and another brother calls. Moreover, despite the complications regarding the ownership of the landowners, we are conducting regular raids. When asked about the progress of the case, he said that if the miscreants are involved, legal action will be taken based on the income of the case and its continuous investigation.
