Hatiya (Noakhali) Correspondent

The administration has filed a case against six individuals, including two former Union Parishad members, for allegedly extracting sand illegally from the Nijhum Dwip sea beach, a renowned tourist destination in Hatiya, Noakhali.

On Friday afternoon, the case was lodged at Hatiya Police Station by Mohammad Humayun Kabir, Assistant Land Officer of Jahajmara Union.

According to the case statement, the accused include Anwar Hossain, former member and president of the dissolved committee of Nijhum Dwip Union, and Sahed Uddin, former member and vice-president of the same committee, along with four others. Local sources confirmed that all the accused are politically influential figures in the area.

According to administrative sources, in recent days a powerful group had been using dredger machines to extract sand from the sea beach near Namar Bazar, inside the Nijhum Dwip National Park. The extracted sand was being transported and sold in different areas using power tillers.

Although the administration initially attempted to stop the activity, the group continued their illegal operations, defying the administration’s warnings. Later, in a raid, the dredger machine and other equipment were seized, which led to the filing of the case.
In response, accused Sahed Uddin claimed:

"I have no involvement in sand extraction. I have been falsely implicated in this case. The real culprits should be identified, and legal action should be taken against them."

Hatiya UNO.Mohammad Alauddin said: "Attempts have been made to extract sand illegally from different areas of Hatiya, but the administration has taken strict measures to prevent it. Especially in tourist areas like Nijhum Dwip, extracting sand from the sea beach is completely illegal. A case has already been filed, and the accused will soon be brought to justice."