Overnight Administrative Crackdown in Halda
The upazila administration initiated a severe joint operation against illegal sand extraction from the Halda River in Fatikchhari after several investigative reports were published in Daily Inqilab. These serious environmental actions were effectively brought into focus by the reports, particularly those published on August 22 and August 25, about uncontrolled sand thieving and strong dredges working behind tin gates. Targeting the particularly vulnerable locations along the riverbanks, the overnight operation ran from Tuesday midnight at 12:30 AM to Wednesday at 5:00 AM.
Under the direction of Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Mr. Sayed Md. Ibrahim, Assistant Commissioner (Land) Mr. Rahmat Ullah, Bhujpur Thana Police, Ansar, and the Fatikchhari Fire Service cooperated in the interdisciplinary operation. To safeguard the nation’s top natural fish breeding ground, authorities eliminated hidden operations operating behind tin fences close to the Gohira-Heyako Road, destroyed a plastic boat under the Kaiya Bridge, smashed dredger pipes, and seized huge amounts of extraction materials.
While securing an additional 20,000 cubic feet of seized sand at Fokinnir Char in police custody, enforcement teams utilized fire service hoses to discharge some 1,500 cubic feet of illegally dug sand back into the Halda River. Local sources reported that a significant amount of more than 50,000 cubic feet of sand remains on the eastern side of Fokinnir Char despite these intensive operations. This caused urgent public demands for its removal and ongoing legal actions.
UNO Mr. Sayed Md. Ibrahim specifically confirmed the newspaper’s role in the operation, saying that the government became aware of the unlawful sand extraction locations after reading about them in Daily Inqilab. ‘Drives were conducted to seize sand and destroy extraction equipment from several spots’, he added, confirming that severe actions will continue over the next week to protect the river’s natural fish breeding system, biodiversity, and environment.
