FE Report
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) conducted on Saturday four separate drives in Pabna, Sirajganj, Magura and Panchagarh districts over the allegations of illegal sand and stone extraction from rivers and a canal.
In Chauhali Upazila of Sirajganj, an ACC team in association with local administration conducted a drive against a syndicate that has been illegally extracting sand from a canal of Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB).
During the drive, a mobile court realised Tk 0.3 million as fines from Nantu Biswas, the ringleader of the syndicate who is also a local Awami League leader, according to an ACC statement.
Meanwhile, a team from ACC's Faridpur office, acting on a complaint, went to Magura to stop illegal sand-lifting from the base of Gorai Bridge.
The sand-lifting has created possible danger to the durability of the bridge.
Another ACC team with the help from local administration has stopped cutting of embankment of Gumani River located in Bhangura Upazila in Pabna.
The commission, on the day, has conducted a follow-up drive in Tetulia Upazila of Panchagarh against illegal extraction of stones using dredgers.
The team went there to collect further information about dishonest government officials who have received bribes, names of people involved in stone mining, and how and where the bribe money was disbursed.
The illegal stones extraction has created possibility of massive landslide in a large area of Tetulia, according to ACC officials.
Later in the day, the commission, in a drive, has unearthed massive environmental corruption by some dyeing factories near Tongi, Gazipur.
Acting on specific information delivered by ACC, a team from the environment department conducted a sudden drive to catch red-handed five dyeing factories while releasing toxic waste without treatment.
However, the names of the accused dyeing factories couldn't be found immediately as the drive was going on during filing of this report.
ACC director general (admin) Muhammad Munir Chowdhury asked the authorities concerned to go for immediate action against the polluters for flouting environment law and realising proper compensation from them.
Mr Munir told the FE that such corruption that destroys the environment happens because of lax monitoring of concerned authority.
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