Salim Chowdhury :
The soil of the Ashwadia government canal in Laksam upazila is being looted. The local influential syndicate is lifting about 4-5 buckets of soil every day and looting that soil through tractors. The group is looting the soil for canal excavation day and night and selling it.
Going to Ashwadia village in Bakai Dakshin Union of the upazila, it is seen that the soil on the banks of the Bijra-Noapara government canal has been cut and large piles of soil have been created on agricultural land. Looking at it, it seems that there are small hills on the banks of the land and the canal, it is known that the soil is the soil for canal excavation two years ago with government funding. For the last four days, the canal soils are being taken to various villages through looting. Local land grabbers and influential syndicates are using around 4-5 excavators every day to excavate soil and loot it using tractors. They are selling it at various brick kilns and local influential houses for 2,000 to 2,500 taka per vehicle (tractor). Locals said that under the leadership of Lalu Mia of Bakai village and with the help of Zafar of Palua village and Akhtar of Tarapur village, they are selling the soil from the canal banks through excavating and filling up the houses and ponds in various villages of the union. When asked about this, Lalu Mia said, “It is not correct that I am taking soil under my sole leadership! A few other people like me are cutting the soil from the canal banks using bulldozers. I am cutting the soil of the landowners of the canal banks and taking it to their houses. There is nothing wrong with that – should I be held accountable to anyone?”
Akter Mia of Tarapur village, who cooperated in digging the canal soil through the excavator, said, “I did not cooperate in digging the soil, but they are taking the soil from the canal excavation to their homes through a few tractors at will. As a result, the soil-carrying tractors have damaged agricultural land and roads. When I stopped them, they said, “If BNP does nothing, who will drive the workers?”
Laksam Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Kausar Hamid said on Saturday evening, “I went to the spot on Saturday afternoon along with the police and village police after receiving news that the soil from the canal excavation was being taken through the excavator.” At that time, the excavator and the tractor driver fled. We seized 4 tractors. Later, legal action will be taken against the excavators.
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