Villagers allege hired men opened fire during a confrontation over sand extraction.
At least seven villagers were injured in a pellet attack after confronting alleged illegal sand mining along the Meghna River, sparking renewed concerns over erosion, environmental damage and law enforcement.
At least seven people were injured on Sunday morning in Brahmanbaria’s Nabinagar upazila after villagers confronted sand miners operating illegally along the Meghna River in Bangladesh.
Environmental activists in Bangladesh have long warned that unregulated sand mining from rivers like the Meghna contributes to erosion, destruction of farmland and long-term ecological damage.
The incident occurred in Char Lapang village of West Union, where local residents tried to stop miners from exceeding their permitted extraction limits. Over-extraction of sand in the area has raised concerns about riverbank erosion and threats to farmland and homes.
Among the injured were Alim Mia, Nuru Mia, Safar Mia and Nurul Mia. Authorities are still confirming the identities of the remaining injured.
Samiul Traders, the company operating in the area, reportedly had a legal lease for sand mining. However, villagers say the miners moved beyond the authorized zone, prompting tensions. During the confrontation, a group of sand traders reportedly arrived from Mirzachar in neighboring Raipur upazila by speedboat and opened fire on the villagers.
The injured were initially treated at Nabinagar Upazila Health Complex and later referred to Dhaka for advanced medical care.
Nabinagar Police Station Officer-in-Charge Rafiqul Islam confirmed that the shooting occurred after villagers tried to halt illegal sand mining. Authorities are investigating the incident.
