Barishal, Nov 6, (V7N) – Authorities have seized two bulkhead boats and a dredger while conducting a drive against illegal sand extraction from the Kirtankhola River in Sadar upazila of the district.
A mobile court also fined four people Tk 500,000 in total for their involvement in the illegal activity.
The drive was conducted around 1:30am on Friday beneath the Dapdapia Bridge over the river, led by Sadar Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Farida Sultana with the assistance of members of the Bangladesh Coast Guard's Barishal South Zone.
According to the upazila administration, the UNO and Coast Guard personnel launched the operation after receiving information about illegal sand extraction beneath the bridge. Upon reaching the spot, they found two bulkhead boats and a dredger, owned by local resident Al Amin, engaged in extracting sand from the river.
During the drive, the authorities seized the dredger named Rifaz Jahan Ikra-1 and two sand-carrying bulkhead boats, M-1 and MV Jobeda. The M-1 was carrying around 7,500 cubic feet of sand.
The authorities also detained the operator of the bulkhead boats, Bacchu, and three workers identified as Abdul Jalil, Md Liton and Humayun. Later, a mobile court fined the four detainees Tk 500,000 in total and released them.
Confirming the operation, UNO Farida Sultana said such drives would continue to prevent illegal sand extraction from the river.
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