Continuous sand lifting from the Pungli River has endangered the Pungli Railway Bridge on Dhaka-North Bengal railway route and the Pungli Highway Bridge on the Dhaka-Bangabandhu Bridge highway. The Tangail town protection dam is also under threat.

All trains the capital and all northern and southwestern districts were suspended for 36 hours as soil under one of the approaches to the Pungli Railway Bridge got washed away by floodwater on August 20, 2018. Experts blamed illegal sand lifting for this disaster. The local administration is not taking any steps against the offenders.

The unplanned sand mining by some influential people goes on unabated due to their links with political parties. During a visit to the area recently, this correspondent saw powerful dredgers engaged in lifting sand near the railway and highway bridges. The sand is being loaded with the help of ‘veku’ machines and transported to other places. An area of 150 metres at Hinnaipara Fatikjani, around 50 feet away from the railway bridge, goes under water during the rainy season. A century-old graveyard has already gone under the river within a few hours after the erosion began on October last year.

The Elenga-Patal Bridge has also become vulnerable as sand-loaded trucks play on the bridge. The Elenga municipality areas have become full of sand particles. Gas lines over the river have become disordered for the unplanned sand collection.

The town protection dam on the East from Pungli, Mohela, Agbether, Pachbether, Salina, and Bartha to Korotia has become vulnerable. The dam got eroded in Ramdebpur during the last rainy season.

Sirajul Islam, executive engineer of the Water Development Board of Tangail, said: "The area around the Pungli river has been identified as vulnerable. Several quarters recently requested me to allow the movement of sand-laden trucks on the flood protection embankment, but I denied the permission. We have requested the DC to take steps to stop sand lifting."

Shahrier Rahman, AC (land) of Kalihati, said a mobile court drive was conducted against illegal sand collectors and earth cutting in the Pungli river area a few weeks ago. Some dredgers were seized and six people were arrested, he added.

However, all the arrested people were released after paying a fine of Tk. 50,000 and giving an undertaking that they would remove the materials of sand lifting.

Shahidul Islam, deputy commissioner of Tangail, said the administration will do the needful to save the bridges and the town protection dam.