Hundreds of acres of cultivable land damaged in Bogra

Some influential people in collusion with the local political leaders and the government officials are lifting sand indiscriminately causing serious damage to hundreds of acres of cultivable land along both the sides of the river Kartoa in Bogra district, locals alleged. The unscrupulous people have been doing their illegal business by lifting enormous quantities of sand from the cultivable land of Rajapur and Shakharia unions of Sadar upazila under the nose of the local administration, local people complained.Around 300 bighas of cultivable land along the 18 kilometre stretch of the riverbanks under the unions have already turned unusable for cultivation as the illegal traders have lifted a huge quantity of sand from the adjacent farmland, they said.Affected people do not dare to protest against the influential sand lifters as the musclemen threaten them of dire consequence, they alleged.On August 02, 2008, around 400 local people formed a human chain on the upazila headquarters premises in protest against their destructive activities and submitted a memorandum to the then UNO Shafian Begum seeking immediate steps against the dishonest sand traders, they said.Vast tracts of cultivable land in Dakkhinpara Kathaltola, Baripara, Baulapara, Namabela, Tilerpara, Madartola, Mankichalk and Fulmbari Shashan Ghat area have been damaged seriously following mindless sand lifting by the vested group.Shakharia Union Council Chairman Hasan Jahid said hundreds of acres of fertile farmland have become unfit for cultivation as some influential people with supports from the local political leaders are lifting sand indiscriminately. Local administration is also playing a silent role as the vested group gives them a large amount of kickbacks, he alleged.Local people lodged complaints several times to the UNO, DC and the local officials of the environment directorate but their moves proved abortive, he said.The dishonest traders are tactfully trapping the neighbouring landowners by purchasing a piece of land which they dig out so deeply that the soil around it slides colossally making the land unfit for cultivation.Later, the helpless landowners without having any alternative sell their land to the unscrupulous traders at cheap rate.Sadar Upazila Council Chairman Ali Ashgar Hena said he had raided the area several times with the help of police but could not stop the destructive business in the areas.Deputy Commissioner Iftekharul Islam Khan said after taking lease from the authorities concerned the traders can lift sand in a planned way.But his administration will take stern action if any trader is found lifting soil illegally, he said.When contacted, Najmul Hoque, director of Rajshahi Divisional Environment Directorate office, said his administration cannot take action against the illegal sand lifters as environment court in this regard has not been provisioned.It is mentionable that rapid urbanisation and realtors’ expanding business in Bogra district has boosted the demand of sand as key construction material.