Md. Masud Khan, Munshiganj

It was a quiet afternoon in Bhagyakul, a village in the Srinagar of Munshiganj, nestled along the banks of the Padma River but the serenity of the riverside was disrupted by the growling engines of excavators and the rumbling of overloaded trollies.

The scene revealed a canal, visibly part of the Padma River's distributary, where earth was being excavated. The excavator clawed deep into the soil, its metallic arm cutting into the earth like a knife through butter. Nearby, trollies laden with soil lined up, ready to transport the freshly dug earth to the brick kiln owned by Kazi Monowar Hossain Shahadat, the local Union Parishad Chairman.

"This is Shahadat Chairman's land," declared Anwar Hossain, a man standing near the excavation site. Identifying himself as one of Shahadat's men, he smirked. "If you have questions, talk to him directly. Everyone knows his influence here."

The dirt road leading from the Union Parishad’s southern gate was crowded with trollies. Dust billowed into the air, blanketing nearby homes and fields. Children coughed, and villagers shielded their faces with scarves. The overloaded vehicles rattled along, leaving damaged roads in their wake, worsening the already perilous conditions for pedestrians.

Local residents whispered their frustrations. "How can a distributary canal, a lifeline for the area, become someone's private property?" asked a concerned villager, preferring to remain anonymous.

Reports suggested that the soil wasn't just being used in Shahadat's brick kiln but also sold elsewhere for profit. "Sticky clay goes to the kiln," admitted a trolley driver. "The sandy soil is sold separately."

Several months earlier, Shahadat's kiln had faced penalties during a mobile court raid for non-compliance with regulations. Yet, the business continued unabated.

When confronted, Shahadat defended his actions, claiming ownership of the land. "I have documents proving it’s mine," he asserted confidently. "I even pay taxes on it. The soil is for my bricks."

Meanwhile, efforts to reach the local land office's sub-assistant officer, Md. Mahfuz, for clarification were futile. His phone remained unanswered.

The Assistant Commissioner (Land) for Srinagar, Md. Jobayer Habib, was more responsive. "Even if the documents are valid, cutting soil from such land is unacceptable," he stated firmly. "I’ve received reports and will investigate."

Back at the canal, the digging continued, the rumble of the machines drowning out the voices of the villagers. Above the noise, one question lingered in the air, unspoken but heavy with concern: "If those tasked with protecting the land become its exploiters, who will stand for justice ?"