Allegations have surfaced that around 50 dredgers are being used to extract sand from the Padma River in Naria upazila of Shariatpur, threatening nearby farmland and riverbanks. Locals claim that the operation, allegedly led by Naria BNP general secretary Farid Ahmed Royal, is removing sand directly from the riverbed, endangering about 5,000 acres of agricultural land in Bosarchar and Charatra mouzas. Royal, however, insists he is legally extracting sand purchased through a government auction and denies cutting sand from the riverbed.

Officials from the Water Development Board said a major river protection project was implemented in 2019 after severe erosion between 2013 and 2018 displaced 25,000 families. The auctioned sand was originally stockpiled during river dredging under that project. Local authorities confirm the auction covered only stored sand, not riverbed extraction, and have pledged to investigate the current activities.

Residents fear that unregulated dredging could undermine the costly river protection works and trigger renewed erosion. The district BNP president and local MP stated that any illegal sand extraction, regardless of political affiliation, would face legal action.