Home
+
Published : 07 Jul 2026, 04:19 PM
The Department of Environment has filed a charge sheet against 27 people over alleged illegal sand extraction from the Jadukata River in Sunamganj's Tahirpur Upazila.
It dropped 10 accused, including a local Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) leader, citing a lack of evidence.
On Monday, investigating officer Saiful Islam, an inspector at the Sunamganj office of the Department of Environment, submitted the chargesheet to the local Senior Judicial Magistrates’ Court.
According to the case documents, sand was extracted openly by cutting the banks of the Jadukata River near Laurergar between Oct 6 and Oct 11, 2025.
Several thousand people reportedly used boats and bulk carriers to transport sand from the river.
The case was filed on Oct 15 last year by Mohaiminul Haque, assistant director of the department's Sunamganj office, with Tahirpur Police Station.
It named 37 people as accused, along with 20 unidentified suspects.
After completing the investigation, the environment department named 27 people in the chargesheet, including former Tahirpur Upazila Parishad chairman and Joint Convener of the Badaghat Union Awami League Aftab Uddin, Badaghat Union Awami League Ward No. 8 President Khaja Main Uddin, Moshahid Alam, also known as Ranu Member, Jamal Mia, Billal Mia and Borhan Uddin.
Ranu has previously served time in prison in connection with illegal sand extraction from the Jadukata River.
Although named in the original complaint, Tahirpur Upazila BNP Joint Convener Rakab Uddin and nine others have been dropped from the chargesheet after investigators found “no evidence of their involvement”.
Mohaiminul said political affiliation was not considered when the case was filed or investigated.
"We did not look at whether anyone belonged to the BNP or the Awami League. No one was accused because of political identity," he said.
"Only those whose involvement was established during the investigation have been included in the chargesheet. Those whose involvement could not be established have been excluded."
Environmental groups and local residents have long voiced concern over illegal sand extraction from the river.
