Bhola Tentulia River sand mining: dredger seized bulkheads

A mobile court seized a dredger and three bulkheads used in illegal sand extraction from the Tentulia River in Bhola Sadar Upazila on Monday morning (May 18).

The drive was conducted around 10 am in the Char Patabunia area of Velumia Union, led by Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Md. Arifuzzaman.

Local residents said an organised group had been extracting sand from the river for a long time, causing severe riverbank erosion and putting nearby homes and croplands at risk. Despite repeated drives by the administration, illegal sand lifting continued, often at night.

During Monday’s operation, one dredger and one sand-laden bulkhead were seized from Char Patabunia, while two more bulkheads were seized from the Chatlar Canal area. The operators fled after sensing the presence of the enforcement team, and no arrests were made.

UNO Md. Arifuzzaman said the drive was conducted to stop illegal sand extraction from the Tentulia River. He added that legal action is being prepared and monitoring will continue to prevent further illegal activity.