Attempt to extract 60 million cubic feet of sand puts Padma Bridge at risk.

Bangla Press Desk: 'Iconic Sourcing'—an entity seeking permission to extract sand from the Padma River. The address listed on its application letterhead is 115/1 Bosila Main Road, Dhaka; however, extensive on-the-ground searches failed to locate any such address, and no one had even heard of the company. The mobile number provided on the letterhead is also inactive. Yet, the process of granting this very entity permission to extract over 64 million cubic feet of sand from an area near the Padma Bridge—a structure of vital national importance—is proceeding rapidly. Astonishingly, the government is simultaneously implementing a project worth Tk 527 crore in that exact location to prevent riverbank erosion. Experts warn that sand extraction here would severely jeopardize the river training measures protecting the Padma Bridge. These details emerged during an investigation.
It has also been revealed that the administration lacks clear information regarding whether the sand is intended for any government project; essentially, it is to be extracted for commercial sale. The Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) hastily issued a No Objection Certificate (NOC) to facilitate this opportunity—with a senior official even signing the approval documents at night. Furthermore, although the Ministry of Land initially issued a letter to cancel the NOC, it recently issued another letter consenting to the company's sand extraction request. While these letters stipulate the use of cutter suction dredgers, the company is not registered with the BIWTA as an operator of such equipment.
Meanwhile, the Deputy Commissioner of Munshiganj has formed a technical committee to evaluate the sand extraction proposal. This move comes despite concerns raised by local police, as well as officials from the Fisheries and Agriculture Departments, regarding the potential for unplanned dredging to cause riverbank erosion, deteriorate law and order, inflict environmental damage, and disrupt fish breeding cycles. They voiced these apprehensions during a meeting held in Munshiganj. Farzana Boby Mitu, the Louhajang Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) and head of the technical committee, told *Jugantor* on Tuesday, "A committee was formed to provide an opinion on certain matters, and I have submitted that committee's report." "The committee does not have the authority to make a final decision; we have merely submitted our findings." He declined to disclose the nature of the recommendations made.
When asked about these matters, ASM Saleh Ahmed, Senior Secretary of the Ministry of Land, told *Jugantor* that laws and regulations mandate the declaration of sand extraction zones (*balumahal*) and the selection of lessees through a tendering process. This procedure is handled by the local district administration. There is no provision for granting private entities permission to extract sand in this manner, although contractors involved in government development projects are sometimes granted such authorization.
Munshiganj Deputy Commissioner Syeda Nurmahal Ashrafi told *Jugantor* that the company had applied for permission to extract sand. "We are legally examining whether approval can be granted, but permission has not yet been issued," she said. "The Padma Bridge is a Key Point Installation (KPI), and we must also consider the risk of riverbank erosion." She added that she had not yet received opinions from the BIWTA (Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority) and the Water Development Board, and therefore, no decision had been reached.
Two engineers previously involved in the Padma Bridge construction project expressed concerns that sand extraction could trigger severe riverbank erosion and public discontent in the areas surrounding the bridge. Speaking on condition of anonymity, they told *Jugantor* that commercial sand extractors typically use locally made dredgers. This practice creates deep pits at the extraction site, leading to severe erosion in the vicinity. They warned that the same scenario would likely unfold here, severely tarnishing the government's image.
Md. Akhlak Ul Jamil, Executive Engineer of the Munshiganj Water Development Board, informed the Deputy Commissioner via a letter on September 9 that a project costing Tk 527.50 crore is currently underway to prevent riverbank erosion in the Louhajang and Tongibari upazilas, located downstream of the Padma Bridge. The *char* (shoal) designated for dredging has already disappeared into the river due to morphological changes, and riverbank erosion is clearly visible in satellite imagery. The letter noted that while a 16-kilometer stretch downstream of the Padma Bridge is prone to erosion, the ongoing project covers the protection of only 9 kilometers of the riverbank. Abdus Salam Azad, the ruling party MP for the Munshiganj-2 constituency, has submitted a DO letter (formal request) to the Ministry of Water Resources regarding the conservation of the riverbank along the remaining 6.9-kilometer stretch.
No trace of the applicant firm: On May 4, Syed Sadab Mahbub, the proprietor of 'Iconic Sourcing,' applied to the BIWTA for permission to dredge sand. In his application, he stated that if granted permission to create a channel using local dredgers—to facilitate crane movement and silt removal for the Padma Bridge's main contractor—he would undertake the work at his own expense. He also pledged to pay the government the prescribed fees for the sand or soil through the Deputy Commissioner's (DC) office. However, the application did not specify where the extracted sand would be utilized.
The firm's plain letterhead lists its office address as 115/1, Basila Main Road, Dhaka. The letterhead bears no official seal, website address, or description of the firm's nature of business. The mobile number provided on the form is also switched off. A field visit to Basila Road revealed no holding numbered 115/1; instead, holding number 115 houses several small tin-shed shops, including a grocery store, a stationery/book shop, a mobile top-up (Flexiload) outlet, and a tea stall. Mia Hossain, the owner of 'Hafsa Telecom' at that location, stated that there is no holding numbered 115/1 and that he had never heard of a firm named 'Iconic Sourcing.' Kazi Md. Liakat, identifying himself as Syed Sadab Mahbub's brother, is currently pursuing approval from government offices on behalf of the firm. Despite attempts to contact him over three days, he refused to provide Sadab Mahbub's mobile number or the firm's actual address. Fake.
BP/TD