A mobile court has seized four dredger-equipped boats and seven sand stockpiles during a crackdown on illegal sand extraction from the Kholpetua River in Shyamnagar, Satkhira.
The court also fined Anisur Rahman, manager of Abu Musa Company, Tk50,000 for his involvement in buying and selling illegally extracted sand.
The operation was led by Satkhira Additional District Magistrate Ripon Biswas, Shyamnagar Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Shamsuzzahan Kanok and Assistant Commissioner (Land) Md Moniruzzaman.
Residents said some individuals had been extracting sand illegally from the Kholpetua River without an approved lease, allegedly under the leadership of Abdur Rahman Babu and Anwarul Islam Angur, member secretary of Jubo Dal.
Concerned about the risk of riverbank erosion, residents and members of the community approached the administration, seeking an end to the illegal extraction.
Following their complaints, the Shyamnagar upazila administration launched a surprise operation on the river.
According to the mobile court, the drive began on Thursday morning and continued throughout the day.
During the operation, four engine-powered boats fitted with dredgers were seized from different locations along the river.
The court subsequently seized seven sand stockpiles belonging to different businesses along the river chars in Nawabeki and Atulia, including those owned by Abu Musa and Kamruzzaman Company.
Anisur Rahman, manager of an establishment owned by Abu Musa, was detained during the operation.
He was fined Tk50,000 in default to serve two months in jail.
Mobile court magistrate and Additional District Magistrate Ripon Biswas said the seized sand stockpiles and engine-powered boats had been placed in the custody of the local union parishad chairman and assistant union land officer.
He said the seized assets would be valued and subsequently sold through a public auction, with the proceeds deposited in the state treasury.
Shyamnagar Police Station Sub-Inspector Sanjit Kumar, Shyamnagar Upazila Press Club General Secretary Asaduzzaman Liton, the clubs Education Secretary Arifur Rahman, and members of the upazila administration and police were also present.
