Undoubtedly sand is essential part of river ecosystem. Like flow and fish it helps rivers stay healthy. It’s critical for ground water recharge, replenishes the nutrients in moving water, supplies lean season flow to rivers and provides habitat to numerous forms of aquatic and riparian fauna. Despite all this, illegal and unsustainable mining of sand and boulders is widespread across the country taking heavy toll on the lifelines of modern civilisation. The illegal mining is creating holes in the riverbed. The illegal mining is creating holes in the riverbed. These holes obstruct the natural water flow during rainy season, causing the river to realign its banks and threaten our embankments, croplands and homes.

Illegal sand lifting is one of key reasons for riverbank erosion. So, we have to take all necessary steps for stopping such harmful practices. Bangladesh is a flood-prone country, riverbank erosion is a common phenomenon here. Adequate precautionary measures including issuing riverbank prediction messages alongside maintenances of flood protection dams should be taken to prevent lives and property from riverbank erosion. According to experts, sand mining from river beds can be very dangerous without carrying out prior studies. Unplanned and excessive sand mining causes degradation of rivers. Mining lowers the bed below normal levels, which may lead to bank erosion. Depletion of sand causes deepening of rivers, and enlargement of river mouths. Despite repeated warnings by the media, the authorities are yet to take adequate steps to stop sand lifting. We have 38 rivers which are severely polluted and encroached. We have more than 80 rivers that are [suffering] under the sand-mining situation. Sand-mining is cruelly killing our rivers. If sand was mined in a structured way it might not be as harmful to the river's natural flow. According to WDB officials at least one hundred tractors are daily engaged in sand mining operations from riverbeds various areas across the district. Within the last few months thousands of holes in the riverbeds have been excavated.

There must be a limit to lawlessness. Illegal sand lifting is something that mocks the vision of the government to provide the country with adequate infrastructure. The Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges and district administrations around the country should exercise constant vigilance over spots where sand is lifted illegally causing damage to bridges, defying the Sand Fields and Soil Management Act, 2010.