In the Daulatpur Saraghat, Talbariya, and Ranakur areas of the Padma River in Kushtia and Pabna, under the protection of an old High Court order, the syndicate led by Zakaria Pintu, Sultan Ahmed Tony, and “sand pirate” Abu Saeed Khan has been illegally extracting sand for 17 years since the Awami League era.
Due to their activities, the river’s course has changed, threatening the foundation of the Hardinge Bridge, Lalon Shah Bridge, and the Rooppur Nuclear Power Project.
On the other hand, legal sand leaseholders in Lalpur, Natore, face obstacles—causing the government to lose nearly 10 crore taka in revenue every year.
How did this illegal activity begin ?
In 2008, in the name of environmental protection, three contracting firms were permitted to extract 1 million cubic feet of sand from 12 points in the Padma River. They were Messrs. Bishwas Enterprise (Owner: Sultan Ali Bishwas, Rooppur), Messrs. Shawon Enterprise (Owner: Abu Saeed Khan, Kushtia) and Messrs. Anwarul Haque Masum (Owner: Kamrun Nahar, Kushtia).
However, exceeding the permitted amount, sand hoarder Abu Saeed Khan and his associates began large-scale illegal sand sales by attaching cutter suction dredger boats in the name of river excavation.
Although disputes among the partners and court cases temporarily halted operations, the syndicate led by sand hoarder Abu Saeed Khan resumed activities under the influence of Awami League leader Mahbubul Alam Hanif.
Locals complain:
“They are lifting sand every day with hundreds of dredger boats. BIWTA officials are performing their duties with their eyes closed!” “Where there was a river, now there are crop fields; and where there were homesteads, now it has turned into a river!”
National assets are now under threat :
as the pillars of the Hardinge Bridge and Lalon Shah Bridge have become significantly weakened. The Rooppur Nuclear Power Project, only 3–4 kilometers away, is at risk of landslides. – Changing the river’s course increases the risk of floods and erosion.
Administrative inaction and political shelter :
They are still illegally extracting sand. However, there are allegations that the local police and administration are intentionally inactive.
Members of the syndicate have mutual understandings with influential leaders of both BNP and Awami League, are threatening journalists and locals, and Zakaria Pintu’s terrorist gang is regularly displaying weapons openly on the Padma River with speedboats.
Disaster for legal sand leases in Lalpur :
From the Diar Bahadur sand lease in Lalpur, Natore (one of the major sources of government revenue), leaseholders are facing severe losses. For example, two years ago, Russell Enterprise took the lease but failed to deposit money due to illegal sand extraction and faced lawsuits.
But this time, Molla Traders took the lease for 10 crore taka, yet the syndicate is heavily obstructing their operations every day by attacking boatmen and firing at boats, filing false cases against boatmen and leaseholder’s people and regularly intimidating businessmen with weapon displays on speedboats.
The owner of Molla Traders said, “If this continues, no one will take leases in the future. The administration must act now!”
Residents demand :
Stop illegal sand extraction and seize dredgers and equipment.
Take strict legal action against Zakaria Pintu, Mehedi, Sonamoni, Abu Saeed, Tony Bishwas, and their associates.
Local Majedul Islam said, “The river will go, the bridge will go, then our homes… everything is being destroyed before our eyes, but if we protest, we fear attacks!”
Regarding this, Kushtia Deputy Commissioner Md. Toufiqul Rahman said, “No government leases have been granted on Kushtia’s waterways; if anyone extracts sand, that is definitely illegal, and operations to stop this illegal sand extraction are ongoing.”
