A Dhaka court on Wednesday has jailed four men, including two admin managers of Pran-RFL Group, for illegally filling parts of the Balu River with sand in the capital’s Khilkhet area.
Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Raunak Jahan Taki delivered the verdict, handing three-year prison terms to admin managers Md Faisal Mahmud and Sarwar Jahan.
The magistrate also fined them Tk10,000 each, with an additional 30 days in jail if they fail to pay.
In the same case, Muktar Hossain and Najmul Alam Nahid, owners of sand-transport firm Soha Messers Madina, were each sentenced to one year in prison and fined Tk5,000, with an additional 15 days in default.
None of the four convicts was present in court when the judgment was delivered.
Defence lawyer Habibur Rahman submitted time petitions for Faisal and Sarwar, stating they fell ill while away on official duties, and for Muktar due to age-related illness.
The court rejected the petitions, while no representation or step was taken on behalf of Najmul.
Court Bench Assistant Abu Abdullah confirmed the rule, adding that the magistrate cancelled the bail of all four convicts and issued conviction and arrest warrants against them.
According to case documents, the conviction follows High Court directives ordering government agencies to halt illegal encroachment and pollution in four rivers surrounding the capital – the Buriganga, Turag, Balu, and Shitalakhya.
As part of ongoing drives and inspections, senior police officers and Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) officials inspected the Balu River at Patira Mouja under Tongi River Port in Khilkhet on 24 October 2021.
During the visit, officials found that around 12,500 square feet of the riverbank and riverbed had been filled with sand. Inquiries with residents pointed to the involvement of the accused in the landfilling.
On the same day, Rezaul Karim, assistant director of Tongi River Port, filed a case at Khilkhet Police Station.
Following an investigation, Sub-Inspector (SI) Sohrab Hossain of Khilkhet Police Station submitted a charge sheet naming the four accused on 31 May 2022.
The court framed charges on 16 August 2023 to formally begin trial proceedings.
During the trial, the court recorded testimonies from three out of eight prosecution witnesses.
Following defense statements and closing arguments from both state and defence counsels, the court scheduled the case for verdict and announced the prison terms on Wednesday.
