Desk Report,
1.5 lakh cubic feet of stone replaced in six days in white stone, 4 lakh cubic feet seized in various places
The sixth day of the joint force and task force’s stone recovery operation in Sylhet also found stones hidden behind tin fences and sandbags. The local administration has announced that about 150,000 cubic feet of stone stolen from the Sapadhar tourist center will be recovered and replaced during the six-day operation. In addition, about four hundred thousand cubic feet of stone are still in various places.
1.5 lakh cubic feet of stone replaced in six days in white stone, 4 lakh cubic feet seized in various places
Of this, about 31,700 cubic feet of stone were seized in the operation today, Monday. These stones were recovered in a drive conducted in Jaflong of Sylhet Sadar, Companiganj and Gowainghat upazilas from morning to afternoon. One person was detained for questioning during this time.
The task force and joint forces have been conducting operations in various places in the district since last Wednesday night to recover stones illegally looted from various areas of Sylhet, including the Sapadhar tourist center. As part of this, the operation was conducted from morning to afternoon, as in the sixth day today. According to sources related to the operation, 3,500 cubic feet of stone were recovered in a drive conducted in Tilapara area of Sylhet Sadar Upazila this afternoon. One person was arrested during the drive. Later, another 200 cubic feet of stone were seized in a drive conducted in Rangitila area in the afternoon.
Sylhet Sadar Upazila Executive Officer (UNO) Khoshnur Rubaiyat, who led the drive, said that the stones recovered in the drive are being given to local public representatives or residents. Later, the stones will be taken to Bholaganj and replaced.
Today, a drive was conducted in Kalabari and Shimultala areas of Companiganj under the leadership of Sylhet District Administration Executive Magistrate Tanvir Hossain Sajeeb. During the drive, white stones were found under a pile of sand in a guava orchard in Kalabari area. During this drive, stones were recovered even in front of a house in Shimultala area where a tin fence was erected. The amount of stones recovered is about 25,000 cubic feet. Tanvir Hossain Sajeeb told Prothom Alo that the recovered stones are in the process of being taken to Bholaganj.
Executive Magistrate Efrahim Iqbal Chowdhury supervised the joint force’s check post in Companiganj today. He said that the trucks loaded with stones are being searched at the check post. It is seen that attempts are being made to mix imported stones with white stones and take them out of Sylhet. Although they were not seized at the check post, the trucks are not being allowed to go, they are being returned.
Meanwhile, Upazila Nirbahi Officer Ratan Kumar Adhikari said that 4,500 cubic feet of stones were recovered in the Jumper area of Gowainghat until 5 pm today. He told Prothom Alo that the recovered stones are being replaced in the Jaflong Zero Point area.
Companyganj UNO Azizunnahar told Prothom Alo that out of the stones recovered in the six-day operation, about 1.5 lakh cubic feet of stones have been replaced in the white stone tourist center till this afternoon. Apart from this, there are about 4 lakh cubic feet of stones in various places that are seized, which will also be replaced with white stone.
There are 51 quarries (specified places for extracting stones and sand) across the country. Of these, there are eight stone quarries in Kanaighat, Companyganj, Gowainghat and Jaintapur in Sylhet. Apart from these, there are stones in 10 more places in Sylhet including Sapadhar, Jaflong, Bichnakandi, Utmachara. These places are known as tourist centers. These stones come from the hill rivers of India across the border. Before 2020, eight quarries in Sylhet, excluding the reserved areas, were given the opportunity to extract stones on lease. However, due to damage to the environment and environment, no more stone quarry leases were given after 2020.
Businessmen and political party leaders in Sylhet have always taken a strong stand in favor of stone mining. In the past five years, they have tried in various ways to resume quarry leases, but the government has not given permission. In this situation, people used to illegally mine stones at night under the cover of darkness. After the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government on August 5 last year, stone looting continued for a year.
