Defying the ban of the local administration, excavations of top-soils from the cultivable crop field by using dredgers is continuing unabated various villages of Nabinagar Upazila under Brahmanbaria district.
The excavated fertile and top soil are being sold to the local brick-kiln owners. Deep cavities are being formed at the cultivable land due to excavation of the soil which is also threatening the crop production. At the same time, the size of crop land in the district is being squeezed.
According to eye-witness sources, from the cultivable land of the villages Natghar, Nandura, Kurighar, Khariala, Nasrabri under Natghar union, Noagaon of Kaitola union, Baghaura, Mirpur, Konikara under Shibpur union, Maheshpur under Bitghar union, Nasirabad, Shahebnagar under Shyamgram uion and Chitri of Nabinagar union fertile top-soil of the cultivable land is being sold to the brick-kiln (brick field) owners.
Brick kiln owners and the soil traders under the patronisation of the local influentials and by managing the dishonest officials of the local administration were excavating those top soil illegally by using dredgers. Moreover, those excavated soil are being carried through tractors which are moving through the fields damaging the local roads and the crop-fields. Villagers, specially students and the passerby are also being affected the dust and the sound created by the dredgers and the tractors.
Dredger trader Billal Mia of village Rasulabad of the upazila informed he used to excavate and sell soil from his 18 bighas of land and never excavates soil from other's land.
Hasan, owner of land at Nasirabad village under Shyamgram union informed, the pisciculture was more profitable than that of cultivation of crops that is why he was digging a pond by excavating the land. He further said, he did not procure any permission from the local administration to excavate the land to dig a pond.
Abdul Mannan of Konikara village under Shibganj union informed, the soil of his land being not smooth, he had been failing to produce crop in his field for the last four years that is why he was making his land smooth by cutting soil of his field. He further said, he was not charging any money from the brick kiln owners for digging top soil from his field and taking that away for making bricks.
Shah Alam Mia of Purbapara village informed, some influentials of the area were destroying fertile top-soil of the land by excavating and digging soil and selling those to the brick kiln owners. Abu Kashem, Senior Fisheries Officer of Upazila informed, the excavation of soil from the crop land is not allowed without the permission from the Deputy Commissioner.
Jahangir Alam, Upazila Agriculture Officer informed the top-soil of the land is known as the life of the land. The upper 8 to 10 inches of soil of a land is known as the top-soil. All the necessary bio-fertilisers for producing any crop or vegetables lie amid this top-soil. The fertility of a land is lost if its top soil is removed.
Advovate Shiv Shankar Das, Mayor of Nabinagar Municipality informed, by no way the soil of cultivable land will be excavated and sold for any purpose. He called upon all to refrain from excavating soil from cultivable land. Farhad Shamim, Upazila Nirbahi Officer of Nabinagar in this connection informed, no one is allowed to sell top soil of any fertile land. Legal action will be taken againt any person excavating the soil and selling that without the permission from the Deputy Commissioner, he added.