Bhola Residents Form Human Chain Demanding End to Destructive Sand Mining

Local residents formed an hour-long human chain in Bhola on Sunday, demanding the immediate cancellation of a sand quarry (sand mahal) lease on the Meghna River to save Bhola Sadar Upazila from devastating river erosion.

Organized under the banner of Jamaat-e-Islami, the protest took place at Junction Bazaar in the Purba Ilisha Union at 5:30 pm.

During the demonstration, speakers alleged that the district administration leased the river to benefit a specific vested interest group. They claimed that lessees are illegally and indiscriminately extracting sand outside the designated zones, often under the cover of darkness.

This reckless sand mining has already caused three wards of Kachia Union to vanish into the river. Surrounding areas, including the Rajapur, Ilisha, Kachia, and Shibpur unions, are now facing severe erosion, leaving many residents without homes or agricultural land. Furthermore, the relentless sand looting has compromised the town protection embankment, triggering landslides in its concrete (CC) blocks.

Protesters urgently appealed to the government to revoke the lease to prevent further geographical and economic loss in the region.

The human chain was chaired by Elisha Union Jamaat-e-Islami Amir Md. Salauddin and moderated by Secretary Ariful Islam. Other key speakers included Sadar Upazila Jamaat President Kamal Hossain and Kachia Union Jamaat Secretary Mustafa Kamal.