Stone looting spreads to Rangpani After Sada Pathor and Jaflong

While the administration’s attention remains focused on curbing stone looting in Sada Pathor and Jaflong, another popular tourist spot in Sylhet’s Jaintapur Upazila—Rangpani in the Sripur area—is now witnessing rampant stone theft.

Locals report that much of the stone in Rangpani has already been depleted due to illegal extraction. Despite ongoing operations by authorities to crack down on these activities, the looting continues unabated.

On Saturday night, August 16, police arrested four more individuals involved in stone looting in Sada Pathor. This comes amid a week-long surge of public debate and criticism nationwide over the illegal extraction of stones in Sylhet.

In response, the district administration, in collaboration with the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), has been conducting continuous operations. Recent raids in Jaflong and Sada Pathor have resulted in the recovery of looted stones and the destruction of evidence related to the illicit activities.

However, while enforcement efforts continue in some areas, stone looting persists elsewhere. In Rangpani, hundreds of laborers are openly cutting hills and transporting stones by boat, seemingly without interference from BGB patrols. This unchecked extraction has severely impacted the tourist site, leaving it largely stripped of its natural stone resources.

Local residents claim that these illegal activities have been ongoing for several months, despite attempts by authorities to intervene. The administration has pledged to extend their crackdown operations to Rangpani, though officials acknowledge it will take time.

In a related development, police apprehended six more suspects involved in Sada Pathor stone looting on Saturday night, bringing the total arrests linked to the issue over the past two days to eleven.