Human chain and protest rally of unemployed workers demanding stone extraction in Dahuk river in traditional way

Dahuk river is one of the few rivers where gravel is found in Tentulia upazila of Panchagarh. A few years ago, when stone extraction from the plains was stopped, thousands of stone workers became unemployed Many have been forced to change professions But the gravel of the Dahuk River sustained a large part of the workers Because hundreds of thousands of stone workers of the upazila are making a living by extracting pebbles from this river However, these ordinary workers are on the verge of becoming unemployed as the administration has suddenly imposed a strict ban on stone quarrying

Meanwhile, on Thursday (August 31), the local stone quarry workers held a human chain and protest rally in the road area adjacent to the Kalitla Dohuk Bridge of Shalbahan Union of Tentulia Upazila in the district demanding the traditional method of quarrying stones in that river. Meanwhile, they blocked the road and held a rally on the road Various vehicles are stuck on the Shalbahan-Haradighi paved road

Meanwhile, ordinary workers say that once upon a time, a large amount of stone was extracted from the plains in different areas of Tentulia upazila in the traditional way. It created employment for thousands of people However, stone quarrying was stopped due to illegal quarrying of stones by a Krachkri Mahal with a dazer machine. Thousands of stone workers of the upazila became unemployed. However, even though stone quarrying has stopped, no employment arrangements have been made by the government for the workers However, the workers were forced to drown in the river and pick up stones with spades And in this way, for several years, these poor workers in different places of Dahuk river have been making a living by extracting stones in groups. However, the workers are not able to extract stones due to the sudden ban on stone extraction by the administration. As a result, they are on the way to becoming unemployed So they demanded to lift stones from the river.

Meanwhile, the local administration says that according to the prevailing laws of the country, there are no rules for quarrying stone anywhere except Pathar Mahal. Apart from this, two bridges of Dahuk river are being damaged due to stone quarrying.

The government has imposed a ban on stone quarrying across the country However, the construction bridge over the river is being damaged due to the quarrying of stones by ordinary workers near the two bridges of Dahuk river
Haroon Or Rashid, leader of stone workers, said, "We are poor people." I make a living by extracting the stones that float in the river. But if the quarrying stops, I will starve to death.
Another stone worker named Zariful Islam said the same thing, today we are sitting on the road for work. We want work. I want to work and run the family. We want to lift stone. The administration should help us.
Labor leader Mastanser said, we follow all the rules of the government to extract stones. A mahal is working so that the lifting on our stone is stopped. We will request to the administration that we poor people have been lifting stones in the river. I can do it that way. I will demand from the government that you do not take away the food from the mouths of our common workers like this.
Meanwhile, the former chairman of Tentulia Upazila Parishad and labor leader Muktarul Haque said that thousands of stone workers in Tentulia used to make a living by extracting stones from the plains. But since stone quarrying has stopped in the plains, they are making a living by quarrying stones in the river And if the quarrying in this river is stopped, my workers will starve to death. So we request to the government that the workers can extract stones as before
Meanwhile, Tetulia Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Fazle Rabbi said that the stone workers have submitted a memorandum demanding traditional stone stoning. I will investigate the matter and take further action.