In Sylhet’s Gowainghat, a joint operation by the authorities led to the arrest of six individuals on charges of extorting money on waterways. Locally made weapons and two engine-powered boats used to obstruct sand-laden bulkheads were seized during the operation.

On Sunday (July 6) at 11 a.m., a joint team comprising Gowainghat Upazila Administration, Gowainghat Police Station, Naval Police, and the Bangladesh Army conducted the operation in Lengura village under the 4th Lengura Union of Gowainghat Upazila. The operation targeted a group involved in extorting money from sand-carrying vessels on the river.

The arrested individuals are Jalal Uddin’s son Iqbal Hossain Imon (21) from Matikapa village, Jihad Ullah’s son Kudrat Ullah (43), Mahmud Ali’s son Tofayel Ahmed (26), Zamir Uddin’s son Badr Uddin (45), the late Abdus Salam’s son Rahim Uddin (45), and Tahir Ali’s son Suleman (30), all from Lengura village.

According to the Gowainghat Upazila Administration, a group led by Azmal Hossain (26), son of Foysal Ahmad from Lengura village, was detaining sand-laden bulkheads en route from government-leased sand quarries. Posing as a “coordinator,” Azmal demanded extortion money from the bulkhead operators. Despite multiple meetings with the leaseholder, no resolution was reached.

The detention of around 200 sand-laden bulkheads by Azmal’s group for 15 days sparked mixed reactions. With thousands of boat workers held hostage, the upazila administration initiated the operation on Sunday. The joint forces rescued the workers from Azmal’s group.

Although Azmal Hossain managed to flee during the operation, some of his associates engaged in a confrontation with the army and upazila administration, leading to the immediate arrest of six individuals. A case is being prepared at Gowainghat Police Station against the arrested individuals for possessing local weapons and illegally extorting money.

Gowainghat Upazila Executive Officer Ratan Kumar Adhikari, who led the operation, said, “Upon receiving reports of illegal detention of sand-laden bulkheads on the waterway, we conducted an operation with the support of the Bangladesh Army and Gowainghat Police Station, and the detained vessels were released.”

Gowainghat Police Station Officer-in-Charge Sarkar Tofayel Ahmed stated, “Six individuals were arrested on charges of detaining sand-laden bulkheads on the waterway. Additionally, two wooden boats and local weapons used by the arrested individuals were recovered.”

He added, “The police are actively working to apprehend others involved in extortion on the waterways.”