Named heritage, yet ravaged
Syndicate continues extracting sand, earth from the Halda river
Wounds on the bank of the Halda river as sand and earth lifters wreaked havoc on the river in Fatikchhari upazila. Photo: collected
An organised syndicate of sand and earth lifters has been wreaking havoc on the Halda river at the upstream in Fatikchhari upazila while the local administration turned a blind eye to the menace.
Halda, the lone natural breeding ground of carp-like fish in South Asia, was declared as Bangabandhu Fisheries Heritage on December 22 last year.
The government banned twelve types of activities in the river including fishing, sand lifting, water withdrawal, plying of mechanised boats, construction of dams, and dumping of any industrial or domestic waste.