Green Voice held environmental march and human chain to demand stop illegal sand extraction in Ulipur

Rafiqul Islam Rafiq

In Ulipur Upazila of Kurigram, the voluntary organization Green Voice held a protest march and human chain program against the illegal extraction of sand from the Teesta river by exerting political influence on various unions. Local conscious citizens also participated in this program organized by the organization on Sunday (01 March 2026) morning.
The organizers alleged that for a long time, an unscrupulous gang has been running a thriving business by extracting sand from the river illegally, avoiding the attention of the administration. Besides disrupting the natural flow of the river, the balance of the environment is being destroyed and the surrounding agricultural land and habitat are under threat.
At the end of the main road of the city, the environmental march came to the upazila square and turned into a rally. Speakers in the rally demanded effective measures to protect the river, stop illegal sand extraction and bring the involved under the law and punish them severely.
President of Green Voice Ulipur Upazila Branch Sarfaraz Sourav, Organizing Secretary Romeo Raihan, Shahriar Asad, Abu Sohag among the local people spoke in the rally. The program was conducted by Abu Raihan Zakaria. Green Voice Kurigram district general secretary Noornavi Sarkar was also present.
Speakers said that illegal sand extraction is causing river erosion and the people of local villages are suffering a lot. They called for swift administrative action and strict action against those responsible.
At the end of the rally, the leaders presented a memorandum to the Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO). Mahmudul Hasan, Upazila Nirbahi Officer, said that any problem can be solved if the conscious society and the administration work together. He said,The administration’s crackdown on illegal sand mining and cutting topsoil and selling soil is ongoing and will continue in the future.