Man fined Tk 50,000 for illegally extracting sand from Dharla

A person has been fined Tk 50,000 for illegally lifting sand from Dharla river and selling them at Wapda Bazar area of Kulaghat Union in Lalmonirhat Sadar upazila.

Executive Magistrate of the Deputy Commissioner (DC) Office Rubel Rana conducted the mobile court and fined one Shahidul Islam of Namtari area, reports our Lalmonirhat correspondent.

Pipes used for lifting sand were seized and destroyed on the spot. The truck used for transporting sand was seized but was later released on bond.

Locals said Shahidul Islam and Faridul Islam were illegally lifting sand from Dharla river with a dredger machine for a long time.

The sand was being transported to different places by tractors. This caused potholes in the roads. Due to the illegal extraction of sand from Dharla river, the riverside people have to suffer from floods and erosion during monsoons, they said.

Lalmonirhat Sadar Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Jannatara Ferdous told The Daily Star that drives against illegal sand extraction are continuing.

Raids are being conducted wherever there is a news of sand extraction, she said.