Stone lifting threatens Teesta Barrage

A mobile court on Friday jailed four people for illegal stone extraction from the Teesta river beside the country's largest irrigation project Teesta Barrage in Hatibandha upazila.

They also seized boats, dredger and stones from their possession, said Upazila Nirbahi Officer Syed Enamul Kabir who led the court.

The convicts are Samiz Uddin, 60, Moksed Ali, 32, Noor Amin, 29, and Rabiul Islam, 36, of Chhayani Pittifata village.

Of them, Samiz was jailed for seven days while the rest were sentenced to five days' imprisonment each, said police. 

Illegal stone lifting from the river in the downstream and upstream of the Teesta Barrage threatens the country's largest irrigation project and a dyke at Dowani village, said locals.

At least 40 dredgers are engaged to do the work round the clock but there is no action from Water Development Board (WDB) authorities, alleged local schoolteacher Nur Islam.

 “We cannot protest the illegal stone lifting as a gang has connections with local ruling party leaders and government officials,” said Nabibar Rahman, a trader of the village.

Refuting the allegation of their involvement with the malpractice, Executive Engineer of WDB at Daliya office Mahbubur Rahman said illegal stone lifting from the Teesta has already been stopped due to stern action by police.