Allegations are available that chairman of Kazibakai union under Dasar upazila of Madaripur district is extracting soil from the crop fields by using excavators and selling the soil to the local brickfields.
It is learnt, by destroying fertile topsoil from the crop field, the chairman was digging a pond for pisciculture. The excavated soil is being sold to the brickfield owners.
The size of the cultivable land is being squeezed and the environmental balance of the region is being destroyed due to the excavation of ponds by cutting topsoil from the crop field.
Local resident Sarowar Hossain informed, every year during the dry season, Chairman Nur Mohammad Howlader digs 10 to 12 feet deep topsoil from his fertile crop field every year and sells that to the brickfield owners.
Chairman Nur Mohammad Howlader claimed he was digging the pond and selling the excavated soil with permission from the Upazila Administration.
Assitant Commissioner of Land of the Upazila Saifuzzaman Himu informed, the chairman did not procure any permission from the administration to dig soil from the crop field and to excavate the pond. He said he would investigate into the incident and take necessary action in this connection.
Marufure Rashid Khan, Deputy Commissioner of Rajshahi in this connection said he is investigating the incident.