The ruling party men are allegedly involved in stone lifting from the riverbeds of the Dharla, Saniyazan and Singimari rivers at Patgram upazila in Lalmonirhat posing serious threat to the environment.
According to sources, about 500 dredgers are now being operated in lifting stones from the three rivers and their tributaries in Dahagram, Sarkarer Hat, Kawamari, Baniyadanga, Burimari, Islampur, Banglabari, Chatrarpar, Masantari, Azizpur, Kuchlibari, Dhabolsuti, Majhipara, Shamser Nagor, Jagotber, Jongra, Sree Rampur, Bankandha, Ufarmara, Ghospara, Rasulganj, Kakertari, Mirzarcourt, Kafirbazar, Burirhat villages under the upazila.
Locals said AL men were lifting stones from the rivers illegally.
The organized gangs recruited labourers for lifting pebble from 50 to 60 meters deep in the rivers.
“I was recruited at Tk 250 as daily wage to lift stone using dredger machine from the river at Burimari village,” said labourer Masum Miah.
He said: “Maximum dredger owners are involved with ruling party AL. So recruited labourers never face any problem from any corner on the spot.”
Patgram upazila’s Sree Rampur union unit AL president Abul Hashem, also a dredger owner said: “ not only AL men, opposition party men are also lifting stones.”
Patgram pourasava’s 9 No ward AL president Quader Elahi lavlu runs three dredgers machines to lift stone illegally from the river Dharla at Mirzar Court area.
He said Jamaat-Shibir men had damaged his properties. So he was lifting stones to cover up the damage.
The upazila unit AL president Anowarul Islam Nazu said AL never tolerated the stone lifting illegally from the rivers.
The administration should take steps against the illegal stone lifters, he said adding they would take step if anybody lifts stone showing political muscle.
OC Amiruzzaman said police were busy to control the law and order situation in the upazila.
He also said the administration had to face communication problem as stone lifting spots were in emote areas.
UNO Rafiqul Haque said he conducted drive against the stone lifting.
District Commissioner Habibur Rahman said local people were not aware and they never helped the administration to arrest the stone lifters.
He would conduct hard drive in this connection as soon as possible, DC said.
Environment and Agriculture Coordinator of NGO RDRS Bangladesh Mamunur Rashid said that a massive landslide might occur any time in the area due to lifting stones.
Planned way of lifting stones could to be a substantial source of income for the poor people in the area but the unplanned way might cause degradation of ecology in the region, he said.
