Authorities have filed a case over the illegal extraction of stone from Jaflong, a renowned tourist spot located within the ecologically critical area (ECA) of Gowainghat Upazila in Sylhet.
Union land officer Monayem Hossain lodged the complaint at Gowainghat Police Station on Monday night (18 August), according to Officer-in-Charge Tofail Ahmed. The case does not name any specific individuals, and no arrests have been made so far.
The Mineral Resources Bureau also filed a separate case last week, accusing nearly 2,000 unnamed individuals in connection with the ongoing illicit operations.
Reports suggest that large-scale sand and stone looting has been taking place in the Jaflong ECA since 5 August 2024. Despite a case previously filed by the Department of Environment, progress has stalled without any clear explanation.
Two local BNP leaders, Shah Alam Swapan and Rafiqul Islam Shahparan, have been expelled from the party following allegations of involvement in the stone looting. Sources say clashes have erupted between rival factions vying for control of the lucrative stone and sand syndicate in the region.
Despite internal disputes, illegal extraction continues largely unchecked, with reports indicating that local figures are earning significant daily profits — reportedly in the range of lakhs of taka — from these operations.
In a related development, Sylhet Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Sher Mahbub Murad has been made an officer on special duty (OSD) amid allegations of administrative complicity in a similar stone looting case in nearby Bholaganj. The Ministry of Public Administration issued a notification confirming his reassignment on Monday.
Courtesy: Daily Observer Online
