Violation of hilsa ban: Gazaria locals force dredgers to retreat from sand quarry
Repeated phone calls to Aminul Islam Jasim, former president of the Munshiganj District Chhatra Dal and the person responsible for operating the sand quarry, went unanswered

Locals in Munshiganj's Gazaria upazila thwarted an attempt by a leaseholding company to extract sand from a government designated quarry in the Nayanagar area of the Meghna River around 6:30am today (8 October), during the ongoing hilsa breeding season.
The workers, facing resistance from residents, were forced to retreat from the area. Meanwhile, the administration has stated that extracting sand from quarries during the hilsa breeding season is a punishable offence.
Witnesses said that sand extraction at the site had been suspended for several days. However, at dawn, workers of the leaseholder resumed operations using 14–15 dredgers. On learning of the violation, locals mobilised with several engine-run trawlers and confronted the workers, who then fled towards Sadar upazila.
"We know that extracting sand from the river is prohibited during the hilsa breeding season," said local resident Hossain. "When we saw the leaseholder defying the government ban, we united to stop them."
Repeated phone calls to Aminul Islam Jasim, former president of the Munshiganj District Chhatra Dal and the person responsible for operating the sand quarry, went unanswered.
Gazaria Upazila Fisheries Officer Mohammad Abdus Samad said, "Such activities disrupt the safe spawning of mother hilsa, which ultimately harms the country's fish resources." He added, "We are working to ensure the Meghna River's Gazaria section remains closed during this period."
Gazaria Upazila Nirbahi Officer Md Ashraful Alam confirmed that an assistant commissioner (land) was dispatched to the site following reports of the incident. "By the time our team arrived, the sand extractors had fled," he said.
"We have instructed the leaseholder to suspend all operations during the breeding season and will report the matter to higher authorities."