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The Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources and the Deputy Commissioner of Sylhet on Thursday submitted two separate reports to the High Court on the looting of white stones from Bholaganj, a tourist attraction under Sylhet's Companiganj upazila.
The ministry report said a total of 1500 to 2000 people were involved in looting the stones, and a case has already been filed with the Companiganj Police Station against 2000 people under the Mineral Resources (Control and Development) Act 1992 and Section 93(1) of the Rules 2012.
The ministry has also formed a six-member body comprising a BUET professor and headed by its Additional Secretary (Operation) of the Energy and Mineral Resources Division to assess the environmental and financial losses in the incident.
The Deputy Commissioner's report stated that the restoration of the stones to their original locations is ongoing. The listing of the accused persons is in progress, and the vigilance team is actively working in the affected area.
The reports were submitted in the High Court bench of Justice Kazi Zinat Hoque and Justice Aynun Nahar Siddiq, complying with its earlier order, passed following a writ petition.
However, writ petitioner's lawyer Manzill Murshid opposed the report saying that those are incomplete as the government bodies are yet to make a list of the responsible persons and restore the looted stones to their original locations.
Hearing the parties, the High Court bench asked the government bodies to submit further compliance report on October 10, 2025.
According to the writ petition, over the past one year, vast amounts of stones have been illegally extracted from Companiganj and Gowainghat upazilas, often in broad daylight and in full view of local administration officials, without any effective action being taken.
The matter came to light recently as the area became almost bare of the white stones.
Following the writ petition, filed by a rights organisation, Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh (HRPB), the HC bench on August 14 this year ordered the authorities concerned of the government to collect all the stones removed illegally from Bholaganj and to restore them to their original locations within seven days.
In addition, the High Court also directed the government bodies including Sylhet district administration, BGB and RAB to prepare a list of the individuals who are involved in the looting of white stones popularly known as Sada Pathor, and submit it to the court within 60 days.
It also directed the environment and mineral resources secretaries to form an expert committee comprising a BUET professor within seven days to assess the financial losses, and submit their findings within three months.
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