It is hard to believe, but sand is the foundation of modern human society 1–4. After the 2nd World War, sand gradually conquered its current place as an important and widely used mineral resource from a mere river borne substance. 

However, the world is running out of sand 4,7–9. Although, Bangladesh is not feeling the heat yet. We are probably using far greater amounts of riverine sand, than what our ecosystem can regenerate sustainably 6. This is one major anthropogenic stressor on global rivers as well 10. The United Nations has defined sand and sediment mining as one of the major sustainability challenges of this century 4.

The future demand of sand will be difficult to meet sustainably with current policy regime 1. The massive demand and consequential mining of sand is going to bring multidimensional negative ecological, economic, and social complications for us in future both locally and globally 2,4. 

To ensure sustainable management of sand as a valuable resource, we need to know from where and in what amount of sand is mined and what are the impacts of such activity on our socio-ecological system.

Fantastica Sand and Where to Find Them

Sand can be found in abundance in Bangladesh. However, we need to identify those (fantastic) sand which are sustainable sourced and traded, and therefore aligns with the SDG goals of the country. In Bangladesh, sand performs the role of a low-value extract or sometime as development minerals. Development minerals are “mined, processed, manufactured and used domestically in industries such as construction, manufacturing, infrastructure and agriculture. These are economically important close to the location where the commodity is mined” 11. To enhance the role of sand as a natural resource for creating the pathways for sustainable development, a myriad of environmental and social challenges that arise from sand mining need to be addressed effectively.  We need to understand the dynamics of sand as a valuable natural resource within the context of future Bangladesh. This research aims to do that.

Like many other countries of South and South-east Asia, riverine dredges and barges are the primary source of sand in Bangladesh 5. Because of their certain textural characteristics and composition, riverine sands are highly sought after in construction and various industries 5. Dredging and removal of sand is also done for better access for shipping and navigation, as well land reclamation.

In Bangladesh, sand lifting and selling is regulated under the law ‘বালুমহাল ও মাটি ব্যবস্থাপনা আইন, ২০১০’ and additionally guided by the rules ‘বালুমহাল ও মাটি ব্যবস্থাপনা বিধিমালা, ২০১১.’ Moreover, in February 2019, the High Court Division of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh delivered a landmark decision granting all rivers with 'legal personhood,' declaring all rivers in Bangladesh to have legal protection 12,13. Following this verdict, sand mining is prohibited in ecologically important and vulnerable rivers.

There are some interests about the presence and economic feasibility of precious heavy and radioactive metals in sand deposits across the country. A good number of research are done in this sector 14–16. Presence of economically viable and extractable precious minerals like magnetite, ilmenite, and other heavy minerals is already found sand in areas in the river of Bangladesh 15. Although, sand mining and trading is a common business we have only few research identifying its socio-ecological impacts in case of Bangladesh 17,18.

Globally, there is no reliable estimates of fluvial sand flow, especially the bed-load 6. In the case of Bangladesh, the reporting is often done in an arbitrary way or even by the miners following a self-reporting approach. The monitoring system over the sand extraction and trade processes is extremely rare, especially due to the lack of resources and techniques. Therefore, there are rampant reports of over-extraction and damage to the ecosystem. However, there is little the authorities can do. There is no doubt that this sand trade industry provides economic opportunities for a good number of people. However, this industry is often labeled as associated with rampant illegality, violence and long-term socio-environmental injustice 2.

Climate change, rapid progress in infrastructure and economy, and urbanization is going to bring an unprecedented change in the riverine ecosystem in our country. Understanding the sand mining regime and its widespread impacts on the environment and human system will help to tackle these growing challenges 1. In developing countries like Bangladesh, there is a lack of reliable information about the volume of sand extraction and its impacts on nature. Without reliable data of extraction, trade and utilisation of sand, ecological, social and economic impacts assessment is impossible 2.

References

1. Koehnken, L. et al. Impacts of riverine sand mining on freshwater ecosystems: A review of the scientific evidence and guidance for future research. 362–370 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/rra.3586 (2020).

2. Bisht, A. Conceptualizing sand extractivism: Deconstructing an emerging resource frontier. The Extractive Industries and Society 8, 100904 (2021).

3. Peduzzi, P. Sand, rarer than one thinks. Environmental Development 11, 208–218 (2014).

4. Gallagher, L., Peduzzi, P., & UNEP. Sand and Sustainability: Finding new solutions for environmental governance of global sand resources. (2019).

5. Gruel, C. R., Edgardo M. Latrubesse & Latrubesse, E. M. A Monitoring System of Sand Mining in Large Rivers and Its Application to the Ayeyarwady (Irrawaddy) River, Myanmar. Water 13, 2331 (2021).

6. Hackney, C. R. et al. River bank instability from unsustainable sand mining in the lower Mekong River. Nat Sustain 3, 217–225 (2020).

7. Bendixen, M., Best, J., Hackney, C. & Iversen, L. L. Time is running out for sand. Nature 571, 29–31 (2019).

8. BBC. Why the world is running out of sand. https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20191108-why-the-world-is-running-out-of-sand (2019).

9. Cousins, S. Shifting sand: Why we’re running out of aggregate. Construction Research and Innovation 10, 69–71 (2019).

10. Best, J. Anthropogenic stresses on the world’s big rivers. Nature Geosci 12, 7–21 (2019).

11. Franks, D. M. Reclaiming the neglected minerals of development. The Extractive Industries and Society 7, 453–460 (2020).

12. The Daily Star. Protecting Rights of Rivers: Turning intention into action. The Daily Star https://www.thedailystar.net/law-our-rights/news/protecting-rights-rivers-turning-intention-action-1998201 (2020).

13. Vox. This country gave all its rivers their own legal rights. Vox https://www.vox.com/future-perfect/2019/8/18/20803956/bangladesh-rivers-legal-personhood-rights-nature (2019).

14. Sarker, M. et al. Measurement of Radioactivity for the Assessment of Radiological Risk in Sand Sample Collected From Kuakata and Cox’s Bazar Sea Beach Located in Bangladesh.

15. Rahmanb, M. A. et al. Characterization of the sand of Brahmaputra river of Bangladesh. Bangladesh Journal of Scientific and Industrial Research 47, 167–172 (2012).

16. Rahman, M. A., Zaman, M. N., Biswas, P. K. & Sultana, M. S. Economic Viability of the Tista River Sand Deposits in Bangladesh An Overview. J. Sci. Res. 9, 219–233 (2017).

17. Khan, S. & Sugie, A. Sand mining and its social impacts on local society in rural Bangladesh: A case study of a village in Tangail district. Journal of Urban and Regional Studies on Contemporary India 2, 1–11 (2015).

18. Nath, S. R. & Islam, M. S. Feasibility study of sand and gravel extraction from the sari river, Sylhet, Bangladesh.

19. Farahani, H. & Bayazidi, S. Modeling the assessment of socio-economical and environmental impacts of sand mining on local communities: A case study of Villages Tatao River Bank in North-western part of Iran. Resources Policy 55, 87–95 (2018).