Bogura farmers call for saving cropland of 5 villages from sand traders

Residents of five villages under Bogura Sadar upazila today organised a human chain protesting illegal sand lifting from Karatoa River which is causing damage to their cropland.

The villagers, mostly farmers, formed the human chain at Satmatha point of Bogura town at 12noon, reports our local correspondent.

Speakers at the programme alleged that sand traders aided by an influential NGO TMSS Foundation have long been lifting sand illegally from Karatoa River near Baruipara, Namapara, Jangulepara, Baolapara and Bonomalipara villages under Shakharia union.

The sand lifting, which takes place every day from dusk till dawn with a number of dredger machines, has caused river erosion with much of the villages' cropland lost to the river already, they said.

The Eidgah in the locality is now under threat of being lost to the river while the cremation ground of the local Hindu community has already been eroded, they also said.

The villagers alleged that the sand trader had threatened them when they protested against the illegal sand lifting.

Farmers Mokhlesur Rahman, Abu Bokkar Siddik, Bappi Khan, Nurul Islam, Amal Chandra Modok, Samar Chandra Modok and Foysal Kabir Tota spoke at the programme on behalf of the villagers.

"TMSS Foundation and 15-20 sand traders are behind this. Many farmers from the villages have already lost 80-90 bighas of their cropland into the Karatoa River due to the illegal sand lifting. We did not get justice in this regard even after complaining to the local administration against the men and the influential organisation," Mokhlesur told The Daily Star.

"Now we are on the verge of losing everything unless the authorities take prompt measures to this end," he added.

Contacted, Md Azizur Rahman, upazila nirbahi officer of Bogura Sadar, confirmed the matter to The Daily Star.

The local authorities received complaints in this regard and necessary steps will be taken, the UNO said.