Many villages have small river branches. Earlier, These rivers were places of joy, where children swam and fished. Due to sand mining, deep holes have suddenly formed in many places beneath the river. The problem is, no one marks these places. There are no signboards anywhere, no bamboo fences, as if it is not a river, but a death trap.
"In 2016, two teenage friends from our neighboring village went to the river. They saw some people catching fish and excitedly joined them. One of them did not know how to swim. He thought the river was small and thought there was no danger. But while moving forward, he suddenly fell into a deep excavation. Luckily, the person next to him was able to pull him out somehow. Even if he survived that day, there have been many such incidents where the children did not survive."
30 December 2024 Three teenagers die in Jamalpur
Three cousins, Md. Afif Ahmed (15), Rahi Mia (15) and Roushan (17), drowned in a deep hole created by illegal sand mining in the Brahmaputra River in the Chhankanda area of Jamalpur municipality. A fire service diving team recovered their bodies after an hour of effort.
In January 2025,
A deep hole was created in the river due to illegal sand mining in the char area of Madarganj upazila of Jamalpur district. A child named Alif (7) died after falling into this hole. Locals have alleged that the sand miners did not put any warning signs or safety measures on the river bank, which is why such accidents occurred.
11 April 2025 Two children die in Cox's Bazar
Two children named Masud (5) and Huzaifa (4) drowned while bathing in the numerous deep holes created in the river due to illegal sand mining in the Matamuhuri River of Chakaria Upazila. Their bodies were recovered by the rescue workers of the Fire Service.
We often hear that such and such a boy or girl drowned in the river. Everyone says it was an accident. But the question is,
- who is responsible for this accident?
- Don't those who are digging the river know that people go swimming here?
- Don't they know, the children don't understand where the excavations have been made?
- We just blame the family and ask, Why didn't they notice?
- But who will take responsibility for those who are digging the river illegally or irresponsibly?
Currently, the number of deaths due to negligence, including violations of human rights under tort, is increasing day by day in our country. Such harm related to negligence is usually caused by being hit by a car, electrocuted, due to the negligence of a doctor, falling into a manhole, falling bricks from a building under construction, catching fire, collapsing a building, and dredging a river. But since there is no specific law or policy negligence related deaths in the country, the apathy of the appropriate authorities is increasing gradually and the procession of deaths due to Human negligence is getting longer and longer, which is not desirable in any way.
As a conscious citizen, I have to say something.
- It should be mandatory to put up warning signs in the places from which sand is extracted
- The local administration should regularly monitor these sand extractions
- Those who have committed such negligence should be held accountable
- Legal investigation and trial should be ensured instead of considering the deaths as mere accidents.
