A sweeping stone looting operation in Sylhet has been uncovered by local authorities, revealing that an estimated 1.5 lakh cubic feet of white stones were stolen from the region’s quarries and secreted away in various hidden locations. The stolen resources were recovered in a major crackdown, with authorities finding large caches of stones stashed in ponds, courtyards, and sand piles across the Dhopagul and Lalbagh areas of Sylhet Sadar Upazila.
This illegal activity, which involved between 1,500 to 2,000 individuals, had turned local ponds into makeshift “white stone mines,” and the massive theft had been taking place under the radar for several weeks. The administration’s operation uncovered hidden stone treasures previously stored beneath the water, as well as in other concealed spots, leading to a major recovery effort.
Sylhet’s Sadar Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO), Khoshnur Rubaiyat, confirmed that the crackdown in Dhopagul and Lalbagh was part of an ongoing investigation into illegal stone theft in the area. “The stolen stones were buried in the ponds and various other locations, and our teams have recovered significant quantities,” said Rubaiyat.
Assistant Commissioner (Land) of Sylhet Sadar Upazila, Mamunur Rashid, highlighted the magnitude of the operation, noting that excavators were used to unearth the hidden stones from the ponds. "After receiving tips, we expanded our search to neighboring ponds and uncovered the hoarded stones," Rashid said.
According to the latest report submitted to the High Court on Monday, the looting had been occurring since early August, primarily centered around the Bholaganj Sadastone area in Companiganj upazila. The case, filed on August 15 at Companiganj Police Station, describes how a massive operation involving hundreds of local criminals systematically stole stones from the region’s prized quarries.
The High Court took immediate action in response to a petition filed by Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh, issuing a ruling on August 14 to expedite the recovery of the looted stones. The court also demanded that local authorities submit a detailed list of those involved in the heist within 15 days. Furthermore, the court set a seven-day deadline for returning the stolen stones to their rightful places.
In response to the growing environmental concerns, a six-member committee was formed on August 21 to assess the damages caused by the looting and address the environmental and financial implications. The committee, led by an additional secretary from the Energy and Mineral Resources Division and including experts from BUET, has already begun investigating the full extent of the illegal stone extraction and its impact on the local ecosystem.
Authorities are now focused on identifying the perpetrators, with local law enforcement and the civil administration collaborating to curb the illegal stone trade. The operation marks a significant step toward re-establishing control over the region’s resources and protecting the integrity of Sylhet’s quarries.
The recovery of these white stones has been hailed as a major victory in the fight against illegal mining activities, signaling a crackdown on environmental exploitation in Bangladesh’s natural resource sectors.
Bd-pratidin English/ Jisan
