Habiganj-Shayestaganj: Illegal sand trade damaging road

If you travel along the Habiganj-Shayestaganj road, particularly near the Sudiakhal area, you will see large piles of sand stacked on the roadside.

Locals allege that certain individuals have been illegally extracting and selling this sand without government permits.

They claim that the stockpiling of sand has caused severe damage to the Habiganj-Shayestaganj road, turning it into a deadly stretch prone to frequent accidents.

Residents are now demanding that the administration launch an immediate drive to remove these illegal depots.

During a visit, this correspondent found sand heaped along the Sudiakhal section of the regional road. The sand is dredged from the other side of the road and later transported across Habiganj on tractors.

Locals blame these overloaded tractors for damaging the road.

According to sources, the business is run by a man named Nazim Ahmed.

One resident, requesting anonymity, said Nazim operates alongside an influential syndicate. Out of fear, locals avoid speaking against them publicly, though anger over the issue is widespread.

Faruk Ahmed, a CNG-run auto-rickshaw driver, said, "Sand is often loaded onto tractors. This has broken several spots on the road, and a major accident could happen anytime."

Residents of Chunarughat added that the illegal extraction continues "right under the nose of the authorities," undermining both environmental and institutional integrity.

Pedestrian Minhaj Mia said, "Accidents frequently happen here. On rainy days, when sand mixes with rainwater, the risk increases. We want this illegal sand business removed."

Local resident Alamgir Mia noted that an illegal depot has been built beside the road for easier transport, disrupting traffic.

He added that indiscriminate dredging is altering riverbeds and worsening erosion.

Although Nazim Ahmed admitted to running the sand trade without permission, he denied causing damage to the road. "I am not involved in these things [damaging the road]. Some people are doing this to tarnish my reputation," he said.

Tofazzal Sohel, a member of the central executive committee of Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (BAPA) and general secretary of Habiganj BAPA, told The Daily Star, "Unplanned sand extraction is collapsing canal banks and cutting into farmland and tea gardens. Bamboo groves, trees, and homes near canals are also at risk. The sand sold on the roadside is causing many accidents. Without urgent government action, both accidents and environmental disasters will worsen."

Shayestaganj Upazila Nirbahi Officer Pallab Hom Das said, "I am not aware of the matter. Necessary measures will be taken immediately after investigating the issue."