Illegal Sand Extraction, Rural Road in Birampur, Brahmanbaria Under Threat

M Badal Khandaker, District Correspondent, Brahmanbaria. In Birampur village under Sultanpur Union of Brahmanbaria Sadar Upazila, an illegal sand extraction spree is underway, putting the local road and farmers' croplands at risk. On the west side of the Radhika-Nabinagar connecting road, located on the west side of the road from Kautali Mor to the Chattogram Highway, sand is being extracted daily from the government canal adjacent to the road in Birampur village. And this stolen sand is being used indiscriminately to fill residential homesteads. Under the very nose of the administration, such activities in violation of government regulations and destroying rural communication have drawn strong condemnation from local affected residents. It was found during an on-site visit that this important rural road in Birampur, the village immediately after Radhika Bazar, was constructed under LGED. Due to sand extraction using dredgers and other illegal methods from the government canal that flows right beside the road, the soil beneath the road has eroded, leaving it at serious risk of collapse. Moreover, due to the deep pits created by sand extraction, hundreds of bighas of cropland and embankments of marginal farmers along the canal bank are collapsing into the canal. As a result, local poor farmers are facing huge financial losses. Affected locals and conscious citizens expressed surprise and deep anger, saying, "Without caring for any rules, how is soil and sand being cut and sold from the canal in broad daylight without even minimum permission or lease from LGED? We cannot understand. It seems this influential syndicate is carrying out these illegal activities by evading the administration or flouting the law." Local residents are urging the higher authorities to urgently intervene to save this rural road in Birampur village from complete collapse and to stop the wastage of farmers' last remaining croplands. Conscious residents of Sadar have also strongly demanded an immediate on-site proper investigation to identify the syndicate involved in this river and environment-destroying corruption and bring them under strict legal action along with exemplary punishment.