Muladuli Union Awami League leader and UP member Zahid Hossain Tara Malitha is cutting soil from agricultural land and selling it in violation of government restrictions by providing financing to the administration in Ishwardi. This picture was seen on the ground last Thursday in Arkandi and Patirajpur fields of Muladuli Union of Ishwardi.
Excavator operators, truck and tractor drivers and local residents said Zahid Hossain, a member of Muladuli Union Parishad of the upazila, has been cutting soil from his 10-12 bigha paddy land for the past 17-18 days and selling it to brick kilns and other local people. Lutfar Rahman, a soil trader from Dhulti area of Muladuli, is cutting and selling soil.
The excavator operator, on condition of anonymity, said that soil trader Lutfar Rahman hired us to cut the soil. Crop land owners are members. Our responsibility is to cut the soil and deliver it to trucks and tractors.
Truck and tractor drivers said that they were cutting soil in the name of digging ponds in the member's paddy fields. This soil is sold to brick kilns and people of different areas through Lutfar. We only deliver soil as instructed by Lutfar Rahman.
Locals complained that they are influential people in the member area. He is cutting and selling soil in the name of digging a pond in his crop land. If water collects in his pond, their land next to it will break and fall into the pond. Then they will be forced to sell the land to Malitha at a low price. Besides, they are passing the crops of others with trucks and tractors full of soil. But we can't say anything. Because the people of the police administration have visited the place several times. But the soil cutting did not stop. Ground cutting is going on in Virdarp.
According to the office of the Upazila Nirbahi Officer, even if the pond is renovated from cropland or pond, an application must be made to the District Administrator through UNO. After the instructions of the Deputy Commissioner to inspect the site and give a report, the Deputy Commissioner gave permission to cut the soil. But Muladuli Union member Tara Malitha along with those who are cutting and selling the soil, are doing the work completely illegally.
Upazila Agriculture Officer Mita Sarkar said that it is a crime to cut soil from cropland and sell it. The matter should be looked into by the administration. I can only complain about this. Besides, I do not have the power to take action to stop cutting.
Lutfar Rahman, a soil trader, said that the land belongs to Tara members. I am buying and selling land on contract. I don't know whether they took permission from any member to cut the soil. But I have paid money to various offices for cutting the soil.
Muladuli Union Awami League joint general secretary and UP member Zahid Hossain Tara said, I will cut the soil of my land. Here's what to get permission for. Besides, I am cutting the ground by managing everyone.
Officer-in-charge (OC) of Ishwardi police station, Md. Rafiqul Islam, said that the upazila administration is supposed to take action to stop soil cutting. We can take action only when they direct us.
Ishwardi Upazila Executive Officer (UNO) Subir Kumar Das said, not by managing. I was on vacation. The soil eaters took this opportunity. Action will be taken by sending Aceland.
Salahuddin/sa