Stop stone extraction frenzy in Sylhet

The Sada Pathor (White Stone) Tourist Center near the zero line of the Bholaganj border in Companiganj upazila of Sylhet is one of the most attractive places for domestic and foreign tourists. This is the must visit spot in the area. This tourist center is spread over an area of ​​about 15 acres near the Bangladesh-India border. The main attraction of this tourist center is the stream of water flowing over numerous small and large stones. Thousands of tourists from home and abroad flock there every day to see this beauty; but the area has recently started to become empty of stones due to the stone extraction.

Today (May 3) media reports say that the gang has started looting stones in the white stone area since April 23. The Bholaganj stone quarry and Shah Arefin Tila area have already been almost emptied of stones. However, the extraction of Dedar stone is going on in the neighbouring Bunkar area. According to the information received, on April 27, from 3:30 pm to evening, workers were seen on the ground in the white stone and Bunkar areas, using shovels, and spades to lift stones and load them into at least a hundred barque boats. Later, they took the stones to the Bholaganj site number 10 area through the Dhalai river for sale.

Local residents said that earlier, stone extraction was done secretly. After August 5, thousands of people have been openly extracting stones. When the local administration conducted a raid, the stone extractors ran away. Later, when the raiding team left, they started extracting again. Stone looting is now going on openly in the Bunkar and White Stone areas not only at night, but also during the day time. The local administration said that the they are conducting regular raids to stop stone extraction. Mobile courts are being set up and the guilty are also being sentenced in different terms. They will be more strict if necessary to protect the environment and the nature. The latest raid was conducted in Bholaganj on April 28 from 3:00pm to 5:00pm. However, due to heavy rains, there were fewer stone pickers at that time. Those who were there, sensing the presence of the local administration, fled.

It is clear that the administration can reduce the frenzy if it wants. This requires regular campaigns and punishment. Seeing the weakness of the administration, the stone pickers are emboldened to commit this crime. White stone is our national asset, if the Bholaganj area becomes stone-free, no more tourists will go there. According to sources from the Bangladesh Environment Movement (BAPA), the Bholaganj stone quarry and Shah Arefin's mound have been looted and almost destroyed. The Bunkar area is also on the verge of becoming stone-free. Although all this was done openly in broad daylight, the effective role of the administration was not seen. Now the stone pickers have also caught the eye of the White Stone, the administration must be stricter to prevent it.

We want the administration to be stricter to protect the White Stone from the stone extractors. In addition, the administration must be active now so that no natural resource of Bangladesh can be looted in this way. It is known that such crimes have increased after August 5. If this continues, the current interim government will be questioned in many ways. The failure of local administration will ultimately fall on the shoulders of the entire government. Therefore, the government needs to make local administration more active in curbing crime.