Mobile court conducts operation in Padma River in Bheramara

A mobile court jailed a truck driver for seven days and fined him Tk1 lakh for illegally extracting sand from the Padma River in Bheramara upazila of Kushtia.

The drive was carried out at around 9:15pm on Sunday in the middle of the river near the old ferry ghat in Barodag, Bahirchar Union. The area falls within a seven-kilometre restricted zone of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant, where sand extraction is prohibited.

The operation was led by Bheramara Assistant Commissioner (Land) and Executive Magistrate Dr Gazi Ashiq Bahar.

During the raid, authorities arrested Pintu Hossain, 23, son of Abdul Latif of Sonaikundi area in Daulatpur upazila. He was driving a sand-laden drum truck (registration: Kushtia-T-11-3379).

The court sentenced him to seven days’ imprisonment and fined him Tk1 lakh. The truck loaded with sand was seized. Authorities also confiscated two batteries and equipment used in the extraction process.

Officials said sand lifting within the restricted zone is illegal due to its proximity to the nuclear power plant.