The Bangladesh Coast Guard detained five individuals and seized a dredger during a special operation against illegal sand extraction in Patharghata on Thursday.
Lieutenant Commander Sabbir Alam Sujon confirmed the details. He said Coast Guard Station Patharghata conducted the raid around 12pm in the Patharghata Canal area, adjacent to Dulal Dock, following a tip-off.
The five detainees and the seized vessel were subsequently handed over to the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) in Barguna for further legal proceedings.
Sujon further emphasised that Bangladesh Coast Guard would continue such operations to protect the homesteads and agricultural lands of riverbank residents from the activities of illegal sand extractors.
