Sunamganj: After a five-month halt, sand extraction has resumed in the Jadukata River and Fazilpur sand quarry in Sunamganj following a High Court (HC) verdict. The decision of resuming sand extraction brought relief to thousands of workers who had been jobless during the suspension period.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the Jadukata River, known as a major sand belt, faced rampant environmental degradation during the previous government when influential groups used dredgers indiscriminately, causing destruction of farms along the riverbank and displacement of hundreds of families. The district administration leased out two sand blocks-Jadukata-1 and Jadukata-2-to the highest bidders. Nasir Mia, owner of Tahiya Stone Crusher, acquired Jadukata-1 for Taka 33 crore, while M/S Jinan Enterprise, owned by Md Rubel Mia, leased Jadukata-2 for Taka 55 crore.
However, the High Court suspended extraction for six months on February 17 in response to a writ petition, stalling operations from April 14 to September 10. The suspension left tens of thousands of workers in Tahirpur and Bishwambharpur upazilas without work, pushing them into severe hardship. With the resumption, life has returned to the sand ghats.
Zahir Mia, a riverbank resident, expressed relief, saying, “For five months it was hard for workers to even arrange food. Now that sand lifting has resumed, our sufferings are ending.” The decision has also eased concerns of leaseholders and traders dependent on the river-based economy. Fazilpur ghat leaseholder Joba Mia echoed this sentiment, stating, “We incurred huge losses due to the shutdown. Today’s resumption has brought back life for workers.”
Another leaseholder, Nasir Mia, emphasized the significance of the Jadukata River as a source of government revenue. “The shutdown caused us heavy losses, but now both we and the workers got a hope for better livelihood,” he added. In this regard, Sunamganj Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Elias Mia stated that sand extraction will continue in compliance with the court’s directives and within the specified boundaries.