Stones recovered, but why looting couldn’t be prevented

After the white stones of Bholaganj in Sylhet were looted, there was an uproar across the country. Strong criticism began on social media. Surely, this is not only because the state’s property was looted, but also because the country’s beauty was stolen. Countless tourists have visited Bholaganj to see the white stones. Anyone who goes sightseeing in Sylhet almost certainly visits a couple of places, and the white stones are one of them. Those who have previously visited Bholaganj took photos, uploaded them to social media, and wrote about them—now all of that is just a memory! Perhaps people would not be as hurt if their possessions were looted, but memories stolen cause deeper pain. In today’s Bangladesh, everything is being looted—assets, beauty, and memories!

The hopeful news is that the looted stones are beginning to be recovered. Those who looted the stones in broad daylight are now, it seems, leaving them under cover of night out of fear of the authorities! According to reports published in the media on Thursday (August 14), a joint force operation throughout the night recovered 12,000 cubic feet of stones. The operation began after midnight on Wednesday (August 13). The joint force also conducted night-long operations on various roads in Jaflong, Gowainghat, and Companiganj upazilas. On these roads, stone-laden trucks were stopped one after another, drivers and others involved were questioned, and the source of the stones was verified. The recovered stones are being returned to the river.

Although the recovered stones are still insufficient compared to what was looted, the Sylhet district administration has stated that the operation will continue until all the stolen stones are returned. In addition, those involved in stone theft will be identified and legal action will be taken.

This raises the question: if the looted stones can now be recovered, why was the looting not prevented? The white stones of Bholaganj tourist centre were looted for four months. Everyone knew about this looting because it occurred in broad daylight. The media reported on it. In response, the local administration took some measures, but they were not strong enough. As a result, the looting could not be stopped. It is reported that nearly 80 per cent of the stones were stolen. There was consensus among local leaders of political parties regarding this looting, as various party leaders were involved in the business of extracting, transporting, storing, breaking, and selling the stones.

Abdul Karim Chowdhury, Secretary of the Sylhet chapter of the environmental organisation Dharitri Rokkha Amra (Dhara), told the media that the administration failed to prevent the looting. Influential leaders of political parties were involved both openly and secretly. He said it was regrettable that leaders of various parties, including BNP and Jamaat, publicly spoke in favour of starting quarry operations during meetings and gatherings. These leaders cannot escape responsibility for the stone looting.

BNP and Jamaat leaders are not yet in power, so where did they show such audacity? The public can now understand what they might do if they come to power. We demand a proper investigation into this incident. Legal action must be taken against the accused. Otherwise, such crimes will increase in the future. Our hope is that the looted stones are recovered and the beauty of the Bholaganj White Stone Tourist Centre is restored.