The plunder of Piyain: sand-looting frenzy devastates river ecosystem, communities

Villagers allege the ruling AL activists are orchestrating a 'festival of sand looting' by ‘managing’ the local administration

Villages along the Piyain River in Sylhet's Gowainghat Upazila are under threat from sand mining using dredgers without regulations or leases.

Communities from at least six villages in West Jaflong union allege that the local administration is being 'managed' to facilitate a ' sand-looting frenzy' by ruling Awami League activists. This activity is eroding their homes, land, and graveyards, and causing serious environmental and biodiversity damage.

Despite this happening under the administration's nose, officials remain silent for 'unknown reasons', and locals claim that those involved in sand mining are influential. There have also been incidents of fighting when attempts have been made to stop the extraction, resulting in injuries, with one villager currently in hospital.

Islam Uddin, president of Awami League Ward No. 1 in West Jaflong, said on Friday that more than a hundred locally-made dredgers (bomb machines) were operating in the river from 8pm to 9am, and that boats were constantly being set up to operate them.

The president mentioned that fights are breaking out because sand is being extracted from the riverbank right in front of people's homes. He asked: "If there were fights every day, would we be able to live here? The dredgers operate at a time when a boat cannot pass through the river, they block the river to operate the dredgers. It would not be possible to transport patients".

Recognising this reporter, the Awami League leader said: 'Please make sure that this is stopped. Our madrasas, schools, and graveyards are being damaged. Our people are helpless. Everyone is involved in plundering the sand of the river.

Many victims claim that Shafiq Ahmed, president of the West Jaflong Union Awami League, is involved – an allegation he refutes as 'politically motivated'. "I am not involved in this. Money is being collected using their people from the police station, trade union, and Upazila leaders,” he said.

Gowainghat Upazila chief executive, or UNO, Md Tauhidul Islam claimed he had only just heard about the longstanding practice of dredging.

"From today,” he said, “our law-enforcing agencies will be present there. If there is any sand mining or any activity harmful to the environment outside the designated sand plots, action will be taken.”

The Jadukata River in Tahirpur, Sunamganj, which flows down from the Indian state of Meghalaya, has also been the site of illegal sand and stone mining by dredgers for the past few years.

"Some parts of the Jadukata River are officially leased by the government for sand mining. However, the leaseholders are extracting sand beyond the designated areas, causing villages along the river to gradually disappear.

Like the Jadukata, the Piyain originates in India, flowing out of Assam for about 150 kilometres as a border river before flowing through Sylhet and Sunamganj districts in Bangladesh for about 80 kilometres. This river also carries a considerable amount of sand and stones from upstream.

However, unlike the Jadukata, the Piyain has no designated sand reserves, so there is no question of leasing them. Despite this, the dredgers continue to operate day and night, regardless of the law.

The people of Guragram, Upragram, Monartal, Bugalkandi, Islamabad, Munaikandi, Noagram and Nalubhag villages in West Jaflong union of Gowainghat Upazila are living in fear for their land.

They fear that the situation of the Piyain River will become like that of the Jadukata River. The Jaflong and Piyain rivers are among Bangladesh's major tourist attractions.

DREDGERS TIED UP AT EVERY PIER

Around 9:30am on Friday, at the boat dock of Hadarpar Bazar in Gowainghat Upazila, at least 15 boats used as dredgers were seen moored on both sides of the Piyain River.

From Hadarpar Bazar, as the boats travel towards the foothills of Meghalaya in India, dredgers can be seen in the riverside villages even during the day.

On Friday, around 11.30am, in front of the large Munaikandi madrasa, dredgers mounted on four large boats (bulkheads) were observed extracting sand. Locals report that "10 to 15 dredgers are used during the day to fill the boats with sand".

Erosion has occurred at various places along the river. The graveyards at Munaikandi and Noagram are crumbling into the river.

Boats carrying stones were also seen during this period. Small and large boats have been seen tied up on both sides of the river. Locals say they are Indian boats loaded with sugar.

One group in particular has been operating dredgers from south to north along this part of the river.

On hearing of the journalist's arrival, residents of the villages along the Piyain River gathered. They voiced their concerns and named the people involved in the sand mining.

LOCALS ARE SEETHING WITH ANGER

Haji Mohammed Ali, 70, from Bugalkandi village, said: “Last year, sand was extracted from the Hadarpar area using excavators. This year they moved towards our village. It has put our roads, madrasas, schools, and clinics at risk of collapse.

“Now they are gobbling up the land in front of our houses. About 50 to 60 boats are tied up and working all night. The noise prevents anyone in the surrounding villages from sleeping. The situation that has started will not allow our villages to survive,”he said with he said with a worried voice and look on his face.

“The agricultural land along the river has disappeared. We have no place to graze our cattle and goats. There is no lease for this river, but all this continues. No one is looking into it.”

Aftab Uddin, also 70, has similar complaints. He said: “When you see the dredgers on the river at night, you know that if this continues, our houses will be gone, we will have nothing left.”

Fakhrul Islam, 55, and Abdul Mannan echoed the same concerns, pleading for the activity to be stopped or all the settlements here will disappear into the river.

A short distance from Bugalkandi village is Noagram, also along the river.

Sujon Mia, president of the Jubo League of Ward No. 1 of West Jaflong Union, said: 'What has started must be stopped. Our demand is that the river should not be dredged.”

Ashfor Mia from the same village said, “There are about 5,000 houses in the four wards on both sides of the river. If sand is continuously taken from the river, people on both sides won't have a place to stand. We demand that the river not be dredged. If it continues, we will suffer greatly and our homes will be lost. It must be stopped.”

Standing nearby, 60-year old Masuk Mia said: “The sand mining is causing us great harm. Our houses are being destroyed, we are poor people, where will we go? Our cattle and calves used to graze on the riverbank and even that place is gone. If it stops, it will be a relief for us.”

Jalir Mia, Md Dalim Mia, Md Nizam Uddin, Md Alamgir Mia, Shawkat Ali, Md Hossain Mia, Rafiq Mia, Md Farid Mia, Md. Ataullah Mia, Md Afsar Mia, and Jalal Uddin, a ward member of the village, made the same plea.

Abul Kadir, a member of Ward No. 3 of West Jaflong Union, said: “Hundreds of excavators work from evening until 6 in the morning every day. There is no one to monitor this; if possible, please do something about it.”

Borhan Uddin, a member of Ward No. 2 of the same union, complained that people from around eight to ten villages will face problems if the dredging does not stop.

Kamal Uddin, a member of Ward No. 4, warned that “no one will be spared if their houses are affected”.

‘WHY DON'T THE UNO, AC LAND, POLICE SEE THIS?’

One of those who gathered by the river that day was Md Riyaz Uddin Talukdar, a local sand and stone businessman from Gowainghat. He said, “There is no lease on this river, but this is happening. Why don't the UNO, the land commissioner and the police see this? Sand is being dredged day and night.”

The businessman said it was impossible to operate hundreds of dredgers without everyone's consent.

"Right next to the police station is the union council office. Every day, extortion money is collected from the sand boats that ply the river in front of it. District council members Subhas, Mujib, Rasel, and Sarwar are all involved in this," he alleged.

"Besides Hadarpar, dredgers are also operating in the Jaflong Banglabazar area. We have made many appeals to stop this, but nothing has been done. We are now thinking of going to court.”

Bushra Begum, 55, of Bugalkandi village said: "My brother had just come from the market and went out; I don't know where he went. Later, around 10 on Wednesday night, he was killed because he had forbidden the dredging of sand from the river opposite our house. He was hit on the back of the head with a machete. We have no one, we are poor people.”

"Later he was taken from Gowainghat Hospital to Sylhet Osmani for treatment. We were too busy with the patient to file a case, but we will."

A young man named Foyzur Rahman said, "Money from looting the river sand is filling sacks and going everywhere, that's why everyone is quiet, brother. Many are also selling the riverbank land in front of their houses. But this riverbank land is government land. How can they sell it? This will not stop. Everyone is involved.”

Abul Kalam believes the administration offcials and the big leaders of the area have created a system to make money. “Everyone here is involved. Every day, 400-500 boats leave.”

Jalal Uddin, a member of Ward No. 1 in the West Jaflong Union, said: "For several days now, bombing machines have been operating in the river every night. We villagers have come together to ensure that they do not operate in front of our village. But those who operate them are advancing every day".

Two local representatives and several youths claim that two police officers and a constable from the Gowainghat police station are directly involved in taking money, and that the president of the Jubo League’s union unit, along with two others, is collecting money. The translation for the provided Bengali text is:

ADMINISTRATION HAS FAILED: ENVIRONMENTALISTS

On 12 June this year, a meeting titled 'Facilitation of Stone, Sand, and Soil Management in Sylhet Division: Stakeholder Actions' was held, attended by environmental activists.

At the meeting, officials proposed to open the sand and stone quarries in Sylhet, and the environmentalists said they had no objection to opening the government-leased sand and stone quarries using traditional methods.

However, the environmentalists demanded a halt to environmentally destructive activities.

Abdul Karim Chowdhury Kim, central committee member of Dhara (Our Earth) and general secretary of Banagladesh Paribesh Andolan or BAPA Sylhet, said: "The illegal mining of sand and stone has not stopped. The miners are more powerful than the administration because they are tipped off before any administrative action. Otherwise, the administration does not stop the extraction, which should not be the case.

He added: "If drones were used to take photos and videos of places where illegal mining is taking place, everything would come to light and appropriate action could be taken."

Advocate Shah Saheda Akhtar, coordinator of the Sylhet chapter of the Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (BELA), said: "Those responsible for stopping illegal sand and stone mining are not doing their job. The administration has the power to stop any illegal activity if it wants to. It is shameful if the administration cannot stop illegal sand mining in places other than the leased areas. The administration needs to be stricter.

WHAT THE ADMINISTRATION AND REPRESENTATIVES SAY

Md Jasim Uddin, the additional divisional commissioner (Revenue) of Sylhet, said: "Action will be taken if anyone extracts sand from the river without a lease. This has been communicated to the Upazila administration.”

When asked about environmentally destructive activities in the Piyain River, AKM Rafiqul Islam, divisional director of the Department of Environment in Sylhet, said: "We will take action according to our capacity after investigating the matter.

President of Gowainghat Upazila Awami League Mohammad Aslam said, "Awami League never supports those involved in illegal activities. I will take up the matter with the Upazila administration. If proven, action will be taken as per the party constitution.”

Shah Alam Swapan, chairman of Gowainghat Upazila Parishad, said: "I don't know who is operating these dredgers. I am not in favour of any illegal activity. Please report it.”

Chairman of West Jaflong Union Mamun Parvez did not comment.

Shafiq Ahmed, president of the West Jaflong Union Awami League, when asked about allegations of involvement in sand mining, said: "I am not involved just because I am in the party."

"I am responsible for the party, so people mention my name. We know that dredgers are operating. You can ask people in my village about our family. We are not involved in any activity that harms people.”

Subas Das, a member of the Sylhet District Council, said: "I am not involved in the operation of dredgers. I live in Sylhet city; how can I operate dredgers from here? I am not involved in the process. My house is not even in this area.”

Goainhat police station chief Rafiqul Islam claimed police were not involved in the dredging of sand from the Piyain River. He also said the station had not received any complaints of sand mining related fights.

Mohammad Abdullah Al Mamun, superintendent of police for Sylhet district, did not answer the phone for comments on the allegations involving the police.

Media Focal Point Officer (Assistant Superintendent of Police) of Sylhet district police Md Samrat Talukdar said, "I am not aware of this matter.”