In Habiganj’s Nabiganj area, several groups of people are cutting the cropland’s top soil off and selling it in violation of the environmental law. With this, the balance of the environment is threatened, in addition to destroying the fertility of the land.

According to the Environment Act, it is a crime to cut the soil off agricultural land. Therefore, the conscious community has demanded the upazila administration to take action in this regard.

After visiting several areas of the upazila including Syedpur of Aushkandi union, Parkul, Bajkashara of Kurshi union, Haibatpur, Sultanpur, Ratanpur, Kurshi, Rustampur of Debpara union, Bashdor, Bausa, Rifatpur, Sataihal of Ghaznaipur union and Khagawra of Paniumda union, it was found in more than 50 places top soils are cutting off with excavators. The soils are taken in brick kilns. Besides, the soil of the agricultural land has been filled in the opposite side of Bausa Bazar, Bharpur and UP of Bausa union.

A local resident Ashraful said, “We have informed the administration about the illegal cutting off soil from the agricultural land. But the administration does not have to take any measures in this regard.”

Locals said, according to the Environmental Protection Act, the cutting of naturally created hills and hills is completely prohibited. It is prohibited to change the class by cutting the top soil or surface soil off the agricultural land. However, even though these two laws are openly violated in the mentioned places of Nabiganj, no action is being taken.

Upazila Agriculture Officer AKM Maksudul Alam said, “Due to the cutting off the top soil of the agricultural land, the yield is less than normal. If the soil continues to be cut off in this way, the land will become unfit for cultivation in the future.”

Nabiganj Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Imran Shahriar said, “Action will be taken after investigation in this regard.”