Land Minister Md. Mizanur Rahman Minu. File photo

SANGSAD BHABAN, Sept 9, 2026 (BSS) - Land Minister Md. Mizanur Rahman Minu today said the government will take appropriate legal action against land grabbers in the interest of the country.

"We will take appropriate legal action against land grabbers with utmost sincerity and hard work in the interest of the country," he said.

The minister made the remarks while replying to an emergency notice brought by BNP lawmaker Nadia Pathan Papon, elected from women's seat-32, under Rule 71 of the Rules of Procedure at the Jatiya Sangsad.

Referring to the previous regime, Minu said the country had witnessed authoritarianism in various sectors, including the influence of "Darbesh Baba" and "Bhumi Baba." He said such individuals had exploited the country in various ways, which was unacceptable.

The government has formulated the Sand Quarry (Balumahal) and Soil Management Rules 2025 to make the mining, marketing, transportation and distribution of sand and soil more regulated and development-friendly, the minister said.

He said the Land Ministry approved sand and soil extraction for development projects after amending the Sand Quarry (Balumahal) and Soil Management Act 2010.

At the same time, the government is taking necessary action against people allegedly involved in illegal sand extraction by violating lease conditions at sand quarries, he said.

To curb illegal sand mining, the government has been operating mobile courts round the clock across the country, Minu said.

According to the minister, 2,615 mobile courts were conducted across the country from January to July this year. Since 2025, a total of 3,976 mobile courts have been conducted.

As part of the crackdown, 4,015 cases have been filed, while 1,216 people have been sentenced to different terms of imprisonment. Financial penalties totaling more than Tk 22.14 crore have also been imposed.

Environmentalists have warned that unregulated sand mining can muddy waterways and destroy plant and fish habitats, posing a serious threat to local biodiversity and the livelihoods of communities dependent on natural resources.