Sandwip correspondent: In the dark of night in Sandwip, a few gangs are cutting and selling soil outside government private areas and embankments. Various areas of Sandwip Upazila have been visited, and soil is being cut from cropland from outside the embankment with excavators in violation of the law from 10 p.m. until dawn. Soil cutting is going on by syndicates in every area of the upazila.
Under the umbrella of the influential, several circles cut and sell soil at night, but the administration is indifferent. Although the local administration conducts raids in a couple of places and conducts mobile courts to collect fines, the soil traders do not take it into consideration. These raids and fines are not on him. In this, the Chunoputis come under the law, but most of the Matikheko Raghabboals remain out of touch. On March 18, Upazila Nirbahi Magistrate (Land) Syed Murad Islam said that two trucks were seized and fined Tk 2 lakh for illegal soil cutting. He said that the truck owners are being fined for conducting operations to stop illegal soil cutting. However, cutting the soil does not stop.
Crop land is gradually turning into a pond due to cutting the soil to a depth of 20–30 feet. Experts believe that even if char is given in different parts of Sandwip, erosion may start again if the soil is cut like this.
Government special land and privately owned land of different unions, including Rahmatpur, Magadhara, Azimpur, Santoshpur, and Kalapania of the upazila, are being cut and sold. The soil traders chose nighttime as the best time.
In this regard, Hasanuzzaman Sandwipi, President of the Sandwip Rights Movement, said that a circle is cutting the soil day and night by violating the Balimahal and Soil Management Act. Even after destroying the unpaved roads and forbidding the sleep of the fasting people, no one should be seen. Drawing the attention of the upazila administration, he further said that we are preparing for the movement to stop soil cutting.
In most of the areas, the soil is cut openly at night and during the day, but for mysterious reasons, no operations are conducted in those places. In this regard, Sandwip Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Kabir Hossain said that no one says how much to cut the soil anymore. We are taking as many measures as we can. Sandwip Upazila Nirbahi Officer Reagan Chakma said that cutting the soil of Khas land is completely prohibited. However, the law clearly states that the amount of soil a person can cut from his land and use for his own needs. But under no circumstances can that land be sold. He also said, knowing the overall issue, he will conduct a campaign against the cutting and selling of soil from government special land and land outside the embankment.
