Khowai River Waterkeeper, Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (BAPA) and thousands of villagers living on the bank of the Khowai River of Habiganj Sadar upazila built a human chain as a protest against the unplanned sand extraction from the river. The human chain took place at ‘Durjoy Habiganj’ premises at 11:00 am on January 24, Sunday 2016. During the human chain a meeting chaired by Professor Md. Ikramul Wadud, the President of Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (BAPA), Habiganj branch, was held where the protestors emphasized protest against the illegal sand extractors. The Vice President, BAPA Habaganj and the Vice Chairman of Sadar upazila Professor Md. Abidur Rahman, the Vice President, BAPA, Habaganj Tahmina Begum Gini, Advocate Deowan Minhaz Gazi, Nizampur Union Chairman Abdul Aowal Talukdar, Alauddin Ahmed, Advocate Junayed Ahmed, the General Secretary, BAPA Habiganj and the Khowai River Waterkeeper Tofazzol Sohel, the Join Secretary, BAPA Habiganj Dr. S. Al-amin Sumon and other spoke on the occasion.
On 11 January, 2016, the Khowai River Waterkeeper, Tofazzol Sohel and the Join Secretary of the Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (BAPA), Habiganj district, Siddique Harun visited the Khowai River adjacent to Rangergaon, Batashar Tetoia, Gopaya Ratanpur and Paikpara villages of Nizampur and Gopaya union, Habiganj Sadar upazila. They visited some places of the Khowai River and found the evidence of illegal sand extraction in some points. They talked to the effected villagers and were informed that some sand extractors are extracting sand illegally that is causing erosion of the river bank and damage to the embankment. Even sand extractors threatened the local people who had protested, some effected villagers complained. On the following day, the Riverkeeper had a meeting with the local people and to mitigate the issue a plan for monitoring the situation and a peaceful movement had been undertaken.
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