ACC detains 24 persons, seizes nine dredgers in two dists

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) detained 24 persons and seized nine dredgers from Sonargaon of Narayanganj and Cumilla for illegally extracting sand from river endangering environment and arable land.

ACC conducted separate drives on Monday and Tuesday after receiving complaints through its hotline-106, said ACC public relations officer Pranab Kumar Bhattacharjee.

An ACC team led by its assistant director Mozammil Haque and Sonargaon upazila administration under Narayanganj district conducted a joint drive at the Sonargaon part of the river Meghna.

During the drive, the commission seized two dredgers and picked up four of its operators for illegally extracting sand from the river which created threat to nearby arable land and households.

In the meantime, another team of ACC led by assistant director Abu Hena Ashikur Rahman conducted a drive in Cumilla part of the river Meghna to halt illegal dredging.

However, sensing the ACC team's presence, the dredger operators fled the scene leaving the machineries behind.

The drive in Cumilla was in progress during filing of this report.

The anti-graft authority, during multiple drives, arrested 24 people including dredger owners and seized nine dredgers.

The commission realised Tk 100,000 in fine from two of the dredger owners for their illegal act.