Authorities in Gaibandha’s Saghata upazila detained two individuals, including a local BNP leader, for illegally extracting sand from the Jamuna River. The arrests followed a report published in the national daily Amar Desh that highlighted the ongoing illegal sand mining in the area. Police conducted the operation on Saturday and detained Jewel Amin and Sabuj Mia from the river site.

According to police and local sources, the two had been extracting sand from the river for a long time, transporting it by tractor over a flood control embankment built at a cost of about Tk 25 crore, which was reportedly at risk due to the activity. Jewel Amin serves as president of Ward No. 3 BNP in Saghata Union and is accused of using political influence to sustain the illegal business. The local BNP unit confirmed that disciplinary action against him is underway.

Saghata Police Station’s officer-in-charge Mahbub Alam said a regular case has been filed and police operations against illegal sand extraction will continue.