Cost of Sand

Being a developing nation, Bangladesh have a massive necessity of sand for the construction of roads and buildings. Resulting, sand mining is a popular business in Bangladesh nowadays. But excessive in stream sand mining causes the degradation of rivers. In stream mining lowers the stream bottom, which may lead to bank erosion. Any volume of sand exported from stream beds and coastal areas is a loss to the system. Sand mining generates extra vehicle traffic, which negatively impairs the environment. Where access roads cross riparian areas, the local environment is being impacted. Excessive in stream sand mining is a threat to bridges, river banks and nearby structures. Sand mining also affects the adjoining groundwater system and the uses that local people make of the river. In stream sand mining results in the destruction of aquatic and riparian habitat through large changes in the channel morphology. Impacts include bed degradation, bed coarsening, lowered water tables near the stream bed, and channel instability. These physical impacts cause degradation of riparian and aquatic life and may lead to the undermining of bridges and other structures. Continued extraction may also cause the entire stream bed to degrade to the depth of excavation. As a result millions of Bangladeshi people are loosing their home and lands. For this they are migrating locally and some are migrating to India as well.