A court order has banned stone extraction from all quarries in Sylhet for several years. As a result, a significant amount of stone has piled up at the source of the Piyain River in Jaflong and the Dhalai River in Sada Pathor, Companiganj, with stones layering as currents have brought them downstream.
However, following the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government on August 5, the law and order situation has deteriorated, leading to the theft of stones from two quarries.
In just three days, nearly 200 crore taka worth of stones was looted from these sites under the protection of influential politicians. A senior leader of the district BNP has lost his position amid allegations of involvement in the stone theft.
Additionally, the Department of Environment has filed two cases against 144 individuals, including two BNP leaders, in connection with the theft.
After August 5, as the law and order situation in the country worsened, police fled from their stations and outposts, resulting in a decline in the vigilance of the Border Guard.
Exploiting this situation, stone theft commenced in the Sada Pathor area at the source of the Piyain River in Jaflong and the Dhalai River in Companiganj. Influential individuals employed thousands of workers to extract stones day and night.
Prior to the theft, the stockpiling of millions of cubic feet of stone in the two quarries enhanced the appeal of Jaflong and Sada Pathor as popular tourist destinations. However, these once-thriving tourist centers have now turned into sites ravaged by theft.
Touhidul Islam, Upazila Nirbahi Officer of Gowainghat, reported that stones worth approximately 120 crore taka have been stolen from Jaflong. Meanwhile, according to the Upazila Nirbahi Officer of Companiganj, Abida Sultana, stones worth 20 crore taka have been looted from Sada Pathor.
However, locals claim that the total theft from the two quarries exceeds 200 crore taka, rather than the reported 140 crore.
Three cases have been filed at Gowainghat Police Station and one at Companiganj Police Station regarding the theft of stones and sand, but the main culprits remain elusive.
Local sources say that most of the influential individuals involved in this theft of sand and stones from the two quarries are connected to BNP politics.
Rafiqul Islam Shahporan, the joint general secretary of the district BNP and a former district council member, lost his party position after evidence emerged of illegal sand and stone extraction from the Piyain River in Jaflong.
Additionally, the recently removed chairman of Gowainghat Upazila Parishad and former district BNP treasurer Shah Alam Swapan, along with Amzad Bux, the president of the BNP in East Jaflong Union, have also been implicated in the stone theft.
In connection with the stone theft in Jaflong, the Department of Environment has filed two cases against these three BNP leaders and a total of 114 individuals. One case has been registered at Gowainghat Police Station, and the other at the Environmental Court.
Since the gazette declaring Jaflong as an Eco-Sensitive Area (ESA) was published on November 14, 2015, the local administration has periodically tracked the stockpile of stones. The latest measurement on July 26 indicated that there were 3.74 crore cubic feet of stones in Jaflong.
However, following the theft on August 5, the stockpile decreased by nearly 1 crore cubic feet, valued at over 100 crore taka in the market. Sand has also been stolen along with the stones.
136 boats seized.
A task force operation was conducted in the Dhalai River of Companiganj, Sylhet, to stop the theft of Sada Pathor and illegal stone extraction.
The operation took place from 12:30 AM to 6:30 AM last Sunday. During the raid, 136 wooden boats and 500 feet of stone were seized. The operation was led by Abida Sultana, the Upazila Nirbahi Officer and Executive Magistrate of Companiganj, with participation from police and Border Guard members.
It has been reported that for a long time, unscrupulous individuals have been illegally extracting stones from the source of the Dhalai River and its surrounding areas. Despite operations by the police and Border Guard, they were unable to stop the stone extraction and theft.
In response to this situation, the task force conducted this raid in the Dhalai River.
(Translated by ARK/Bd-Pratidin)
