Gafargaon (Mymensingh) Correspondent

A blockhead boat with a dredger was seized by the locals for illegally extracting sand from Kalibana river in Chakua village area of Pagla police station of Gafargaon upazila of Mymensingh.

On Friday (October 25) at around 6 am, local residents seized the sand-filled Blackhead boat with BNP leader Salim Mridhar's dredger. In the afternoon, when the people of the owner of the boat attacked to seize the detained boat in front of the police station and the magistrate, there was a clash between the local residents and the owner's people.

According to police and local sources, the people of Selim Mridha, the associate of the joint convener of the newly dissolved committee of Ipagla Thana BNP, Akhtaruzzaman Bachchu, have been illegally extracting sand from the Kalibanar river every night for the past two weeks.

The local residents resorted to the upazila administration to ban illegal sand extraction. As no remedy was found, the residents of Bhow got together on Friday and seized a blockhead boat loaded with sand along with a dredger and informed the Thana police and the upazila administration. On receiving the information, Pagla police station at 7 am and Magistrate First Class and Assistant Commissioner Bhumi Amir Salman reached the spot at 11 am.

Around 12 noon, in the presence of the Executive Magistrate and the police, a group of 20/25 armed men under the leadership of Pagla Thana Chhatra Dal leader Yachin Mridha attacked the local residents. At this time, a chase happened between the two sides. Police brought the situation under control. Several people were injured in the clash between the two sides. The injured were treated locally.

Army personnel led by Major Sharif of Powe Gafargaon Temporary Army Camp arrived at the spot.

Many locals including Kamrul Sheikh and Sohail Mia said that under the leadership of BNP leader Aktaruzzaman Bachchu's follower Salimridha, sand is being extracted from the riverside of Kalibana every night. Due to river erosion, our cropland is on the way to disappear.

In this regard, BNP leader Aktaruzzaman Bachchu said, "There is no question of my involvement in the sand lifting incident with a buckethead." Leaders must take organizational action against anyone who illegally excavates sand by showing party influence.

Gafargaon Upazila Nirbahi Officer Rubaiya Yasmin said the boat was impounded due to illegal sand lifting. Preparations are underway to file a regular case in this incident. Khairul Bashar, OC of Pagla police station, said that no one has complained to the police station in this incident.