Desk Report,
Stone looting in Sylhet in public, BNP leaders behind it, administration silent
Once upon a time, rocks and rocks could be seen as far as the eye could see. Now there are countless small and large holes and shallow channels. Due to years of looting, the quarries and rivers of the stone empire of Sylhet are now almost devoid of stones. Especially in the last 10 months, looting has been done openly. Behind this are the leaders of BNP and its affiliated organizations.
Stone looting in Sylhet in public, BNP leaders behind it, administration silent
Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (BELA) Sylhet divisional coordinator Shah Shaheda Akhtar has alleged that stone looting is not being stopped due to the indifference of the local administration. She told Prothom Alo that thousands of people are looting stones indiscriminately from stone quarries and rivers. Yet the administration is not taking any initiative to stop it.
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Sylhet openly loots stones, BNP leaders behind the scenes, administration silent
Sumankumar Das
Sylhet
Updated: 18 June 2025, 12:16
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Now there are almost no big stones. Thousands of people are picking up these stones in the darkness of day and night. Recently, the Bholaganj Sadapathar area of Companiganj Upazila, SylhetPhoto: Anis Mahmud
Once upon a time, stones and stones could be seen as far as the eye could see. Now there are countless small and large holes and dusty chars. Due to years of looting, the quarries and rivers of the stone empire Sylhet are now almost empty of stones. Especially in the last 10 months, there has been open looting. The leaders of BNP and its affiliate organizations are behind this.
Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (BELA) Sylhet divisional coordinator Shah Shaheda Akhtar has alleged that stone looting cannot be stopped due to the indifference of the local administration. She told Prothom Alo that thousands of people are looting stones indiscriminately from stone quarries and rivers. However, the administration is not taking any initiative to stop it.
Last Saturday morning, when they went to inspect the Jaflong area of the Environmentally Critical Area (ECA), the convoy of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Advisor Syeda Rizwana Hasan and Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Advisor Muhammad Faozul Kabir Khan was stopped by sand and stone traders and workers. These protesters were led by some leaders of the local Chhatra Dal, Jubo Dal and Sramik Dal. At that time, they raised slogans demanding the reopening of the closed stone quarries in Sylhet, including Jaflong.
According to district administration sources, immediately after receiving the instructions of the two advisors, the power connection of 30 machines in Dhopagul of Sylhet Sadar Upazila and 5 in Jaintapur was disconnected on Monday. On Tuesday, the power connection of 33 crusher machines in Dhopagul of Sylhet Sadar Upazila was also disconnected.
It was learned from talking to the locals that in February 2020, the government gave instructions to stop the extraction of stone and sand from the quarry. Since then, stone and sand were being extracted illegally under the patronage of some local Awami League leaders in the dark of night. After the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government on August 5, the leaders of BNP and its affiliated organizations took control of the quarry. Under their patronage, thousands of stone workers started extracting stones openly.
