Govt orders nationwide crackdown on illegal sand mining

In a decisive move to combat widespread irregularities in sand mining, the government has issued an eight-point directive to Deputy Commissioners (DCs) and Superintendents of Police (SPs) across all 64 districts, aiming to tighten regulatory enforcement and safeguard state resources.

Key measures include a ban on sand extraction after sunset, mandatory hydrographic surveys prior to leasing sand quarries, and strict accountability for both leaseholders and workers found in violation of lease terms.

The directives were announced during a virtual meeting held on Wednesday, attended by Cabinet Secretary Md Mahbub Hossain, Security Adviser Lt Gen (Retd) Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, Land Ministry Adviser Ali Imam Majumder, and Environment Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan.

According to Cabinet Division and field administration sources, illegal sand extraction remains rampant across several districts—often in open defiance of court orders. Some leaseholders, reportedly linked to the previous administration, have gone into hiding, while unauthorized night-time operations continue, resulting in substantial revenue losses.

Several leaseholders–allegedly linked to the previous administration have reportedly gone into hiding, while night-time illegal sand lifting persists, causing substantial revenue losses.

In response, the government instructed district-level administrators to intensify enforcement efforts.

"There must be zero tolerance when it comes to protecting state resources," said a senior official present at the meeting.

The eight-point directive includes hydrographic surveys which must be conducted before declaring new sand quarries; surveys must be updated; sand leases must comply with all existing legal provisions. The boundaries of leased areas must be clearly marked and physically handed over to lessees.