In a coordinated effort, the district administration has successfully recovered more than 35,000 cubic feet of stones that were illicitly taken from the Sada Pathor tourist area. This operation took place in Bholaganj, located in the Companiganj upazila, as well as in various parts of Sylhet city.
The operation commenced shortly after midnight on Wednesday and persisted until yesterday afternoon, conducted in collaboration with law enforcement agencies.
Authorities have confiscated 70 trucks transporting the stones.
Officials have reported that the iconic landmark contains approximately 1.80 crore cubic feet of stone.
Authorities apprehended Purbo Islampur Union Parishad Chairman Alomgir Hossain Alom on Monday in relation to a looting incident, as confirmed by Uzayer Al Mahmud Adnan, the officer-in-charge of Companiganj Police Station.
Alomgir serves as the joint convener of Companiganj Krishak Dal and holds the position of local government affairs secretary within the upazila unit of the BNP.
The Sylhet district administration has committed to taking stringent measures against individuals implicated in the extensive looting of stones from the site, assuring a complete restoration of the area.
Environmental activists reported that looting commenced almost immediately after the fall of the Awami League regime on August 5, 2024, marking a stark contrast to the nearly four years of relative calm at the stone extraction sites in the Sylhet region.
Critics have claimed that the administration remained largely inactive for months, even in the face of ongoing protests from environmental organizations.
This week, media reports highlighted the issue, revealing that the area has been entirely stripped of its white stones.
During a visit to the location yesterday afternoon, Deputy Commissioner Md Sher Mahbub Murad stated, “The district administration has adopted a firm approach to prevent the looting.” Individuals implicated in the matter are set to encounter legal repercussions… Efforts are underway to recover all the stolen stones and bring them back to their rightful place, though officials acknowledge that the process will require time.
The District Commissioner announced that a high-level meeting held on Wednesday night concluded with a decision to deploy joint forces in the area continuously, establish police checkposts in Gowainghat and Companiganj, and cut off power supplies to illegal stone-crushing machines.
In a significant ruling yesterday, the High Court mandated the government to establish a five-member committee. This committee will include representatives from the district administration, BGB, and Rab, tasked with identifying individuals involved in the looting and submitting their findings within a 60-day timeframe.
A bench of the High Court, comprising Justice Kazi Zinat Hoque and Justice Aynun Nahar Siddiqua, has issued directives and a rule in response to a writ petition submitted by Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh, which sought essential orders.
During proceedings in the High Court, the petitioner’s attorney, Manzill Murshid, asserted that approximately Tk 200 crore worth of stones had been illicitly taken from Bholaganj, allegedly with the complicity of local authorities and influential figures over an extended period.
Sylhet Deputy Commissioner Mahbub stated, “We will adhere to the High Court’s orders as soon as they are received.”
On Wednesday, the Anti-Corruption Commission conducted a site visit to gather evidence. At the same time, the district administration established a three-member investigative committee tasked with submitting a report by Sunday, August 16.
On Monday, the BNP announced the suspension of Shahab Uddin, president of the Companiganj unit, from all positions amid allegations regarding his involvement in stone-throwing activities.
In a coordinated effort last night in Sarulia, located in Dhaka’s Demra, authorities successfully recovered a significant quantity of stones that had been looted from Sada Pathor.
A joint operation was carried out by Rab-11 of Narayanganj, in collaboration with the district administration and the Dhaka unit of the environment department.
In a press release issued at 9:30 PM, Lt Col HM Sajjad Hossain, the commanding officer of Rab-11, confirmed the information.
A recent statement reveals that approximately two lakh cubic feet of white stone, valued at an estimated Tk 200-250 crore, has been illegally extracted from the area in recent times. Approximately six lakh cubic feet of sand, with an estimated value of Tk 240 crore, has reportedly been stolen.
During a briefing with journalists at the scene around 9:15 PM, he stated, “We initiated intelligence efforts to determine the location where the looted stones were being unloaded.” In Sarulia, multiple warehouses—at least seven—were discovered to be storing Bholaganj’s white stone. Along the banks of the Shitalakkhya River, stones were being unloaded on one side while on the opposite side, they were being crushed to obscure their source.
