SANGSAD BHABAN, Sept 12, 2023 (BSS) - The Sand Quarry (Balumahal) and Soil
Management (Amendment) Bill, 2023 was passed in the Jatiya Sangsad today with
the provision of banning the extraction of sand and soil from farmlands as
well as the topsoil of other lands.
Land Minister Saifuzzaman Chowdhury moved the bill which was unanimously
passed by voice votes in the House with Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury
in the chair.
Piloting the bill, the land minister said "The bill has been placed aiming to
bring necessary amendment of the previous 'Sand Quarry and Soil Management
Bill-2010."
The topsoil of both private and commercial lands too cannot be extracted if
there is any possibility of damage, said the minister.
Sand and soil cannot be extracted, if such extraction destroys navigability
of river routes, as per the draft act.
Right now, there is no bar to extract soil and sand from farmlands. It has
been incorporated in the revised act, he said.
Jatiya Party lawmakers Fakhrul Imam of Mymensingh-8, Barrister Shamim Haider
Patwary of Gaibandha-1, Pir Fazlur Rahman of Sunamganj-4, Rawshan Ara Manan
of women seat-47 and Gano Forum lawmaker Mokabbir Khan of Sylhet-1, among
others, spoke on the bill.
