Rangpur, Nov. 6 -- Once vibrant lifelines for northern Bangladesh, the Teesta, Dharla and Jamuneswari rivers are now being ruthlessly stripped of sand by illegal dredging syndicates operating under the shadow of political protection and administrative inaction.

Despite a standing government ban on sand extraction from these ecologically sensitive rivers, dredgers continue to roar day and night, turning riverbeds into pits as deep as 60 to 70 feet in some areas and transforming others into barren, desert-like highlands.

Locals allege that the trade in stolen sand thrives not just because of political shelter, but also due to police complicity and the negligence of local administrations.

"Police and administration officials take commissi...