Illegal sand worth Tk 3.2 crore seized in Feni

Eight lakh cubic feet of sand, valued at an estimated Tk 3.2 crore, were seized on Saturday by a task force operating against illegal sand extraction that uses dredgers to scrape the riverbeds, in this case of the Muhuri River in Feni's Parshuram upazila.

The operation was conducted on both banks of the Muhuri, under the leadership of Feni’s Additional Deputy Commissioner, Fahmida Haque.

The team behind the operation included the Upazila Nirbahi Officer, or UNO of Parshuram, two magistrates, and members of the BGB, police, and Ansar forces.

Fahmida Haque, the Feni ADC, said that a lease held by Shapla Traders expired in April 2024. Following the floods in August, the district administration had suspended the lease, and Shapla Traders did not receive any new lease.

"The district administration will file a case against those involved in the illegal extraction and sale of sand, " she added.

Lt. Col. Mohammad Mosharraf Hossain, commander of Feni’s 4th BGB, said that the operation aimed to ensure border security, prevent smuggling, curb illegal infiltration, and stop the environmental damage caused by sand extraction from the river.

He added that ongoing operational and intelligence activities would continue, supporting the local administration in taking legal action against the perpetrators of illegal sand extraction, reports UNB.