M.Muslim Chowdhury, Srimangal/Moulvibazar/Representative/

In Srimangal Upazila of Moulvibazar, soil cutting from crop land has occurred. There have been allegations that one class of soil dealers are cheating the farmers and cutting soil from the agricultural land at nominal price and selling it at higher prices. Agricultural experts believe that crop production will decrease as a result of harvesting fertile soil from these agricultural lands.
Meanwhile, the administration is not getting any benefit despite conducting one operation after another against the illegal soil traders to stop the cutting of soil. On Saturday also, the upazila administration’s mobile court conducted a raid and fined a soil trader fifty thousand taka. Srimangal Upazila Assistant Commissioner (ACland) and Deputy Magistrate Sandhip Talukder said that the operation to stop cutting of soil from cropland will continue.
On inquiry, it is found that Sindurkhan Union of Srimangal Upazila, Golgaon, Khilgaon, Laharpur, Sikka, Kalapur Union, Lamua, South Kalapur, Shringal Sadar Union, West Srimangal (Lalbagh A/A), West Khariyaura, Ruppur Zoo Road), Islamabad, North Uttarsur, trucks and tractors carrying soil are moving from morning till night in these areas. Every day 10-12 tractors cut the soil of the crop land, the village roads are turning into dust. Locals are facing health risks due to dust and sand along with environmental pollution due to soil cutting. Small and big accidents are constantly happening due to their reckless speed. All the pedestrians including school going children are upset because of these illegal vehicles. As the soil traders are dominant, the locals are not able to speak against them.
Several farmers, who did not wish to be named, complained that due to the movement of soil-carrying tractors throughout the day, dust had fallen in heaps on the land. Seedlings of rice plants are getting damaged. As a result of cutting the soil in this way, the fertility of the land is also being lost. A few lands have become low-lying due to soil erosion. It does not contain the irrigation water given to the land, it is accumulating in the low land. Other farmers are also forced to sell their land. Local farmers said cutting of crop land is prohibited. Act against complete law.
Moulvibazar District Environment Directorate Assistant Director Md. Badrul Huda asked about this, he said that our law does not cover it. How will we campaign? Srimangal Upazila Nirbahi Officer Ali Rajib Mahmud Mithun said, “Already, we are conducting operations every day, fined and impounded vehicles.” He said that today we are in the campaign and this campaign will continue.