Govt allots for protection, sand bandits swallow like paternal property

Special Correspondent:

No news-report or complaint is of any use, because the concerned administration is also hostage to their invisible forces. Not only that, when any political party comes to power, the leaders and workers of that party, even the concerned MPs and ministers change their policy overnight and indirectly support the sand bandits, it is alleged.

As a result, the government’s projects worth crores of taka are of no use. All efforts are lost in the water of the Jamuna. And the pockets of the sand bandits are filled up. This situation has been prevailing in Sirajganj for years.

Illegal sand extraction from the Jamuna River in Sirajganj has recently caused widespread erosion in the riverbank conservation area. This erosion has become severe even in the dry season, especially in various areas of Kazipur, Belkuchi, Chowhali and Shahjadpur upazilas.

Though, the government has leased out five points of the Jamuna river as Balumahal, sand bandits are lifting sand from different other places at every night putting the riverbanks at risk. The five legal Balumahal are: Koigari Dorta, Jiarpara and Chandalboyra in Sirajganj Sadar upazila, Kazipur Balumahal in Kazipur upazila and Shimla Balumahal in Shahzadpur upazila. It is noteworthy that the sand looters change their sand lifting locations every few days to avoid arrest, fines, and legal complications, locals said.

The areas affected by erosion and current situation:

Kazipur Upazila: Illegal sand extraction using small and midsize dredgers during the dry season has created large holes in the riverbed. As a result, the strong current of water directly hits the banks, causing breaches in the Palashpur Ghat, Eco Park, Meghai Ghat and Dhekuria areas. Currently sand is being extracted by at least 15-20 small size dredgers from Mesra area of Kazipur upazila, also outside of the scheduled Balumahal.

Shahjadpur Upazila: Illegal sand extraction from Arkandi-Ghatabari, Binotia, Mazzan and Narina areas of the upazila has threatened the flood control embankment. Locals alleged that, hundreds of houses and cropland have already disappeared into the riverbed.

Belkuchi Upazila: Several parts of Belkuchi Sadar union and Enayetpur areas have already gone into the riverbed and many others homesteads and installations are under threat of erosion because of unplanned sand lifting from the Jamuna riverbed. Besides, movement of innumerable sand carrying bulkheads has caused of threat to the riverbank and many other important installations including country’s largest Khawza Yunus Ali Medical College and Hospital in Enayetpur area. Currently, illegal sand lifting is going on at Khidra Matiya and Meghulla area of the upazila.

Chowhali Upazila: Vast tract of croplands and hundreds of homesteads in different villages of the upazila including Jotpara, Umarpur and Ghorjan area have already gone into the riverbed in the last few months and many others are threatened by the river due to same reason of sand lifting. Amirul Islam Alim, Parliament Member for Belkuchi-Chowhali visited erosion affected Jotpara village on February 27 last.

The main reason for the erosion:

Creation of holes in the bottom: Due to the random extraction of sand, large holes are created in the bottom of the river, which changes the natural course of the water and moves it towards the bank.

Damage to bank protection work: Due to illegal sand extraction, the water flow directly hit the bank protection dam on the west bank, causing collapse to the banks and structures.

Change of the river course: Locals complained that, due to random sand extraction in unplanned means; the course of the river is being changed time to time that affecting the bank badly.

Due to continuous river erosion, there is extreme panic and anxiety among the people living along the riverbanks.

Who is responsible for watching this?

The Balumahal Lease Act (officially the Sand Quarry (Balumahal) and Soil Management Act, 2010) regulates the extraction and commercial leasing of sand and soil from rivers and government lands in Bangladesh. It ensures environmental protection, prevents river erosion and penalizes illegal extraction.

Core Provisions and Leasing Rules:

Leasing Authority: The Ministry of Land and local Deputy Commissioner (DC) are treated as legal authority to announce Balumohal and handle the lease activities through open public bidding.

In this context, district administration in collaboration with upazila administrations and Balumohal Management Committee is able to lease out Balumohal in its jurisdiction according to the Sand Quarry (Balumahal) and Soil Management Act, 2010.

In the case of identifying and declaring sand dunes, the Deputy Commissioner shall, subject to the provisions of sub-section (2) under section 9, follow the procedures given below:-

(a) Prepare a self-contained report including trace map and schedule after inspection by the Revenue Officer of the concerned area.

(b) Conduct a hydrographic survey through BIWTA at the place where sand or soil is present in the designated waterway outside the limits of the river-port and obtain a self-contained report. However, if it is not possible to conduct the survey by BIWTA for any acceptable reason, the survey shall be completed by the Water Development Board or any other government agency.

Lease Duration: Leases are valid for one year, running from Baishakh 1 to Chaitra 30 on the Bangla calendar.

Restrictions on Extraction: Dredging or extracting sand is strictly prohibited within a kilometer of sensitive infrastructure, including bridges, culverts, embankments, rail tracks and residential areas.

Administration’s steps and public suffering:

In reality, during the investigation, it is come to know that, rules are not followed strictly before announcement and leasing out the Balumahal.

According to a data obtained by RTI, there is no authentic record of hydrographic or bathymetric survey of the Jamuna river to the DC office. This time, the authorities concerned have announced five points of the Jamuna river as Balumahal and leased all of these out to one influential person without properly following the provisions.

As a result, the sole lessee, using his local influence and power, has occupied various parts of the Jamuna River in Jamalpur, Tangail, Sirajganj and Manikganj districts and has been extracting sand from the riverbed using unauthorized dredgers day after day.

And that sand is being carried by hundreds of bulkheads, as a result of which the soil of the riverbed and bank is being removed and large holes are being created that leads to devastating erosion at places. The riverbanks, cropland and houses of countless people are being washed away by the river. People who have lost their homes take shelter on the roads under the open sky. On the other hand, sand bandits are looting crores of taka in front of the administration. The various steps and efforts taken by the government to prevent erosion are going in vain.

The sufferers have alleged that, the government, through the Water Development Board (WDB), allocates crores of taka every year for implementing various projects to protect river banks, homes and other riverside structures. However, due to the declaration of sand dunes in the Jamuna River without bathymetric or hydrographic surveys and the unplanned extraction of sand from almost everywhere, the erosion of the Jamuna River takes serious turn during the rise and fall of the water level.

Who are behind the sand lifting?

If you see into a little deeper, you will see that, this sand looting festival is being carried out by local leaders and cadres of the ruling political party.

If you see deeply, you will find trace of invisible and indirectly interference of local MPs. As per their language, if they want to do politics, they have to raise cadres and workers.

Out of this, if you go into fully deeper, you will see a sand emperor named Balu Sattar alias Hazi Sattar alias sand robber Sattar, who is controlling entire syndicate (political leaders, activists, labourers, traders and buyers) from the behind of screen. He supplies all equipments like sand lifting dredgers, bulkheads and trucks to extract and carry the sand. He maintains business chain with country’s largest developers like contractors and real-estate companies.

It is learnt that, sand is now being sold from at least 40 points of the Jamuna river in Kazipur upazila. This large scale of sand is being generated from several unauthorized points including Mesra area. Both the riverbed and bank are being damaged while the sand is extracted with dredgers and carried out with hundreds of bulkheads.

On the other hand, pucca and semi pucca roads are being damaged during the rainy season due to plying of high loaded sand laden trucks. While searching to know who are behind the illegal sand extraction, the names of Balu Sattar and local political leaders come towards frequently.

Like Kazipur, the names of local political leaders and sand robber Sattar come toward in Belkuchi, Chowhali and Shahzadpur. The moral of the story stands that Sattar is everywhere in context of sand robbery.

Who is this Sattar?

Sattar, who once was the labour leader at Moti Shaheberghat near Sirajganj town, has now turned into a multimillionaire, owner of several houses, cars, resorts and dockyards by carrying sand trade with the help of local administration. Not only that, he has also turned to a social worker in exchange of money. Currently he names himself as Mayor Candidate for the next municipality polls.

Sattar was also prime accused of bus workers’ leader Nasir killing case. On September 2, 2012, workers’ leader Nasir Uddin was killed in an attack over the occupation of Balumahal in Jamuna. Five days later, his brother-in-law Shakil Ahmed Tikka, who was injured during the attack, died in the hospital. The case was withdrawn after a negotiation.

Political Identity: From a labour leader, Sattar turned to a BNP leader during the BNP government regime. Later he joined Awami League during the AL government regime. After August 5, he went absconding. After recent election, he came back and started introducing himself as a BNP man. Now he is working as an aspirant of Mayor Candidate for Sirajganj Pourashava.

Comment of WDB authority:

Mokhlesur Rahman, Executive Engineer of WBD in Sirajganj said, “Geo-textile and sand bags are being thrown in the erosion-affected areas to control the situation.”

Replying to a query over sand lifting, he gets confused and said, “I have sent letter to the concerned administration to take necessary action in this regard. Carrying mobile court or taking action against the illegal sand lifters is the responsibility of the concerned district and upazila administration. So I have nothing to do.”

Comment of Deputy Commissioner (DC):

Md. Aminul Islam, DC in Sirajganj said, “If you provide me specific location of illegal sand lifting, I will take action because there is no scope of sand lifting from the outside of scheduled Balumahal.”

In response to a query about Balu Sattar, showing sympathy to him he said that, “People may have been using Sattar’s name deliberately.”

Attempts to contact Sattar on his mobile phone to obtain his comment in this regard were made multiple times, but his phone was found to be switched off.