White stones saved, but what about hillocks

The looting of stones in the Bholaganj white stone area of Sylhet has stirred up a storm across Bangladesh in recent days. Following widespread criticism in the press and on social media, the administration was finally jolted into action. Through joint force operations, some of the stolen stones have already been recovered. But now comes even more alarming news – along with the stones, the Shah Arefin Hillock has also been looted.

According to media reports on Tuesday (19 August), after a portion of the hillock was destroyed for stone extraction, only the shrine of Hazrat Shah Arefin (R) and a small part remained intact. Around the site, a few trees and several thousand large preserved stones were still left. But within a year, not only Shah Arefin’s shrine but also the entire hillock and the adjacent mosque and graveyard land were destroyed for stone extraction by stone plunderers. As a result, nothing remains at a site that was deeply tied to religious sentiment.

It has been revealed that the destruction of Shah Arefin Hillock in Companiganj, Sylhet, was carried out by a syndicate of 26 local members. Investigations have found that the group includes leaders and activists from both the BNP and the Awami League, along with influential locals. Through their direct and indirect collusion, the hillock has been reduced to barren land.

An on-site investigation has shown that within a year, under the blows of spades and crowbars, the remaining part of Shah Arefin Hillock, once 136 acres in size, is now barren land. There is no hillock left there now. Instead, crater-like pits have appeared everywhere. Several roads have been made through the hillock for transporting stones. The destruction across the entire area is such that it seems as though bombs had been dropped. Once, the water at the foot of the border-adjacent hillock flowed through the local Surjakhali canal into the Sonai River. That canal has now been filled with sand and soil from stone extraction.

Historical records show that the hillock was named after the famous saint Hazrat Shah Arefin (R.). Several hundred years ago, he had established his shrine on that hillock in Chikadahar mouza of Companiganj upazila. He often sat there, and later, his devotees built structures at the site. Large black stones were used to build boundaries around the shrine. Later, annual gatherings (urs) were also held at the shrine, drawing Shah Arefin’s followers from all over the country.

Shah Arefin Hillock was not only a place of religious significance but also played an important role in maintaining ecological balance. Many species of birds and insects had made their habitat around the hillock. Now all of that has come to an end. If such looting continues, one day perhaps no natural resource in Bangladesh will remain intact. The white stones could still be recovered through joint force operations, but can the hillock ever be recovered? Can this loss ever be compensated?

How do certain political leaders dare to act so boldly when there is a caretaker government in power? Is the administration blind? How can Bangladesh function if the government is so ineffective? Those involved in this crime must be arrested immediately, at any cost. They must be brought under proper trial. This crime cannot be overlooked under any circumstances. Those who even plunder the soil of shrines and graveyards can in no way be forgiven.