Staff Correspondent

Over the years, Bangladesh Coast Guard has become a symbol of security and trust among the people of coastal and riverine areas and the general public of the country.

Bangladesh Coast Guard is always striving to fulfill important responsibilities such as protecting fishery resources, anti-smuggling operations, suppressing theft and robbery on sea and river routes, preventing illegal drug transportation, preventing human trafficking, and providing relief and rescue activities in coastal areas during natural disasters.

After the deterioration of the overall security and law and order in the country after August 5, 2024, the activities of sand miners in the riverine areas have increased to a large extent. Due to the indiscriminate extraction of sand by illegal sand traders, the risk of cropland and residential areas of riverine villages disappearing into the river has increased to a large extent. Appeals from the affected public and reports from various media outlets and newspapers to stop illegal sand mining attracted the attention of the Coast Guard.

With the permission of the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Coast Guard regularly conducts mobile court, joint and joint operations against sand miners in the open areas of Chandpur, Mohanpur, Shatanol, Kalipur, Munshiganj and Kabutar Khola in Chandpur adjacent to the Meghna River, Koyra, Ghiralal Bazar, Angtihara, Tentultala and Batiaghata areas adjacent to the Shibsa and Arpangasia rivers in Khulna, Lalmohan, Ilisha, Beduria, Latarchar, Muktijoddha Char and Golbunia areas adjacent to the Tentulia river in Bhola adjacent to the Meghna River, and Laukhali and Durghapur areas adjacent to the Laukati river in Patuakhali.

Since August 5, the Coast Guard has been conducting 24-hour patrols and regular illegal dredger clearance operations, and has arrested 76 sand dredgers, 106 sand bulkheads, 5 excavators/excavators and 153 criminals involved in sand dredging.

The Coast Guard's operations have brought illegal sand dredging to almost zero in the rivers and marshes under its jurisdiction. It is worth noting that a special group of sand dredgers, who were operating these dredgers, had been wielding weapons and dominating the area in the rivers and marshes. The Coast Guard's day-and-night patrols and crackdowns have now stopped the violence of these terrorists.

As a result, the villages along the river banks and marshes have been saved from being submerged in the riverbed, and the cessation of terrorist activities in the river has brought relief to the public.

Every member of the Bangladesh Coast Guard is firmly committed to ensuring the overall safety of the people in the coastal and riverine areas. These activities will continue in the future as well.