The Louhajang Upazila administration, in a joint operation with the Naval Police, seized five sand-carrying vessels (bulkheads) and dredging equipment during raids on Friday morning. The operations targeted illegal sand extraction and transportation in the Dohuri Canal and the Khidirpara-Narsinghpur areas.
Starting at 7:00 AM, officials intercepted five bulkheads used for illegal sand transport: MB Mannan-1, MB Medina Manas, Alhaj A Rahman, Amade Top-2, and MB Sarkar Enterprise. Upon sensing the presence of the authorities, the crews abandoned the vessels near the Tongibari border and fled. The seized bulkheads have been placed under the custody of a local Union Parishad (UP) member with the assistance of the Tongibari administration.
A second operation in Khidirpara-Narsinghpur targeted the illegal filling of a four-acre plot using dredged sand. While the suspects escaped before a mobile court could be convened, authorities seized the dredging machinery and all related equipment. Legal proceedings against the absconding individuals are currently being prepared.
Louhajang Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Farzana Bobby Mitu, who led the drive alongside Assistant Commissioner (Land) Md. Erfanur Rahman, highlighted the logistical challenges of stopping illegal sand trading.
"Since these bulkheads travel through multiple upazilas—including Sadar, Sirajdikhan, and Tongibari—it is difficult for one administration to act alone," she stated. She called for a coordinated decision at the district level to effectively block these routes and instructed the Naval Police to increase patrols.
