Dredger burnt, another seized in Tangail

A mobile court on Wednesday destroyed a dredger and seized another as those were being used for illegal sand lifting near two important bridges on the Pouli River in Kalihati upazila under the district.

A few influential people having political clout continued illegal sand lifting with dredgers from the bed of the Pouli River for long, posing threat to two nearby bridges including a railway bridge.    

Being informed, the mobile court led by Ishrat Sadmin, assistant commissioner (Land) of Kalihati upazila, went to the spot in the afternoon.

Ordered by the court, accompanying law enforcers burnt up a dredger and related equipment on the spot and seized another dredger.

"We launched the drive to prevent illegal sand lifting from the river," said the official.

Meanwhile, sensing the mobile court drive, the sand lifting syndicate, mostly comprising local influential people, removed several dredgers earlier and managed to escape the drive.

Local people alleged that although such drives were conducted on many occasions earlier, the influential sand lifters returned back with their dredgers within a few days by managing a section of administrative officials and political leaders.