Ishwardi (Pabna) Correspondent :
An influential circle has built a road across the banks of the Padma River in Laxmikunda Union of Ishwardi . Hundreds of trucks carrying soil are being taken to the illegal brick field every day by the road constructed by cutting the soil of the crop land of Char through this road. No one has headache even though they have written about cutting the soil of the crop lands in the char areas and illegal brick kilns.
Excavators are illegally cutting the soil of char crop lands. The administration’s campaign is conducted when writing. When they see the vehicles of the administration and law enforcement from a distance, they fall to the ground. Day laborer was caught. Influential people remain out of reach. Every day from morning till late night the soil of the crop land is moving to various places in the vicinity including the illegal brick field of Laxmikunda village.
It can be seen on the ground that the Padma tributary river has flowed towards Pabna Sadar Upazila by the side of Rooppur Nuclear Power Project. Although there is taitumbur in the rainy season, there is less water in the river during winter. The Matikatar Syndicate has built a road across the Padma in Bilkedar village for mud truck travel due to lack of water. About 20 km away from the city, as the char area of the river Padma is deserted, the influential circle is cutting the soil freely and without any hindrance with the help of excavators. Every day hundreds of trucks and tractors cut the soil of the char and take it to the brick field.
Ziaul Haque Zia, a member of the Lakshikunda Union Parishad, said those who had built the brickfields illegally in Lakshikunda were influential. The soil is being cut in the dark of night with an excavator and taken to the brick kiln. No one dares to open his mouth for fear of political conflicts and lawsuits. However, despite several attempts to extract sand from the Padma Char, the locals stopped it. He said that the issues of the environment department need to be taken into consideration.
Anis Ur Rahman Sharif, chairman of Laxmikunda Union Parishad, said there was a good harvest in the char land. Just as it is wrong to set up a brick field on crop land, it is also wrong to cut soil from char crop land. If the government officials pay a little attention, then it seems that the cultivable lands are given away. He sought the goodwill of the administration in this regard.
Ishwardi Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) PM Imrul Kayes said the administration has launched a campaign to stop illegal brick kilns. The association of illegal brick kiln owners has been instructed that if the production of bricks is stopped, the soil will also stop coming. Legal action will be taken to cut the soil illegally.
