Protest against illegal sand lifting halts traffic on Dhaka-Sylhet hwy

Local residents blocked the Dhaka-Sylhet highway in Ashuganj upazila of Brahmanbaria on Saturday, protesting illegal sand extraction from the Meghna River and threats against protesters.

Traffic on the key highway remained suspended for around four hours due to the blockade.

Locals took to the highway and started demonstrating in the Bahadurpur Bus Stand area under the upazila at around 10:30AM on Saturday (August 8). The blockade was continuing till 2:30PM while filing this report.

The blockade created a five-kilometer-long traffic jam stretching from Sohagpur Bus Stand to Bertala Bus Stand. Long-distance passengers and local residents suffered immense hardship due to the gridlock.

Locals said a human chain was formed on Thursday to protest against the illegal extraction of sand using dredgers from the northern side of Bahadurpur, Durgapur, and Tajpur villages in the upazila.

During the human chain, Ashuganj Upazila Nirbahi Officer Md Jamal Hossain, Assistant Commissioner (Land) Kazi Robius Sarwar, and Ashuganj Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) AKM Safiqul Alam Chowdhury attended the program and assured action against the illegal sand extraction.

However, protesters alleged that attackers assaulted and threatened those who took part in the human chain on Friday night.

Ashuganj police arrived at the spot and tried to bring the situation under control. But the demonstrators declared that they would continue their movements until the accused were arrested.

Khatihata Highway Police Station OC Abu Taher said the highway was blocked in protest against illegal sand lifting. Senior administration officials are talking to the demonstrators to lift the blockade.

-SA