The High Court (HC) has sought a list of those involved in the looting of white stones from Bholaganj in Companiganj upazila of Sylhet.
HC bench of Justice Kazi Zinat Hoque and Justice Ainun Nahar Siddiqua sought this list along with issuing a rule on Thursday (August 14).
The court ordered the list to be submitted in affidavit form within two months. It also directed that all stones be brought back from where they are currently kept and placed in their original location within seven days.
In addition, the court asked for a report to determine the extent of damage, to be prepared by a committee that will include a professor from BUET.
The court also ordered the formation of a monitoring team consisting of all law enforcement agencies to oversee the white stone area. The next hearing has been set for next Thursday.
Senior lawyer Manzil Morshed confirmed the matter.
He said the court, along with the interim order, issued a rule asking why the administration’s inaction in preserving the stones should not be declared illegal, why instructions for preservation and compensation should not be given, and why legal action should not be taken.
Earlier on Thursday morning, a writ petition was filed on behalf of Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh, a human rights and environmental organisation, attaching various news reports published in the media.
A report titled “Relentless looting of stones at Sada Pathor tourist spot” published on August 11 stated that since August 5 last year, looting of stones from Bholaganj white stone tourist spot has been going on without interruption.
Once one of the top attractions for travellers in Sylhet, the spot has now turned into a ravaged site. Sand is also being looted along with the stones. The tourist centre is surrounded by four BGB camps and posts.
Environmentalists and locals alleged that before August 5, as far as the eye could see there were white stones everywhere. But now there is only barren sand. They claimed that 15 million cubic feet of stones have been looted in one year, worth more than Tk200 crore.
An on-site visit found that hundreds of boats are being used to loot stones from the source of the Dhalai River at the tourist spot. Large stones on the left side of the main spot are gone. Sandbars have emerged in places. Digging is going on indiscriminately. Small stones have also been looted along with the big ones. Stones are being taken away openly in broad daylight while the responsible authorities look on.
Tourist boats are moving between hundreds of stone-laden boats, putting visitors at risk. Tourists expressed frustration over the situation.
Officials at the white stone tourist spot said due to the administration’s indifference and lax monitoring, stone looters are carrying out their destruction unhindered. Occasional raids have only short-term impact, after which looting resumes. They alleged that an influential quarter is conspiring to destroy the white stone tourist spot.
Companiganj Police Station Officer-in-Charge Uzair Al Mahmud Adnan said 15 cases have been filed centring the white stone area and about 70 people have been arrested. He said a major drive is needed to permanently stop the looting.
MSK/SMS
