Cumilla, Dec. 8 -- Along the quiet banks of the Gomti River in Cumilla, an environmental crisis is unfolding in plain sight. As the winter dry season settles in, the river's embankments, which shield nearby homes, farms and infrastructure, are being carved away by a surge of illegal soil extraction.

Local residents say the scale is unprecedented as soil is being removed almost continuously along both banks of the river, often in the presence of authorities and transported to brick kilns and construction sites across the district.

From Palpara to Golabari in Adarsha Sadar upazila, tractors move in and out of the riverbanks throughout the day. Villagers describe it as an 'open season' for soil lifters.

A five-kilometre stretch on the nor...