Sand extraction to remain halted in 21 mouzas of Chandpur Sadar, Haimchar: Appellate Division

Sand extraction from the River Meghna in 21 mouzas in Chandpur Sadar and Haimchar will remain halted as the Appellate Division has quashed the judgment of the High Court in favour of Lakshmipur Union Parishad Chairman Md Selim Khan regarding extracting sand in these areas.

A full bench of the Appellate Division headed by Chief Justice Hasan Fayez Siddiqui passed the order on Sunday after hearing the state's appeal.

In 2018, the High Court ruled in favour of the chairman allowing sand extraction in the areas.

On 4 April, the Appellate Division Chamber Judge adjourned the High Court's judgment on the leave to appeal hearing against the verdict. At the same time, the appeal was sent to a full bench headed by the Chief Justice for hearing.

Attorney General AM Amin Uddin and Deputy Attorney General Kazi Mainul Hasan represented the state in the court while Selim Khan was represented by senior lawyers MK Rahman and Momtaz Uddin Fakir.

In 2015, Selim Khan filed a writ petition seeking directions to conduct a hydrographic survey in the 21 mouza areas at his own expense in the public interest.

In a verdict in that rule on 5 April 2018, the High Court directed the persons concerned including the district administration to allow sand extraction from the Meghna in Chandpur.

On 15 March this year, the state filed a leave to appeal to the branch concerned of the Appellate Division, seeking a stay on the High Court judgement.

There are allegations that Chairman Selim Khan was involved in the scandal of land acquisition for the proposed Chandpur University of Science and Technology. He has been accused of embezzling hundreds of crores of taka by showing the price of this land at several times higher.