Published :
Updated :
For all latest news, follow The Financial Express Google News channel.
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has opened a formal inquiry into allegations of large-scale stone looting from popular Sylhet tourist spot “Sada Pathor”, aiming to determine the extent of the suspects’ involvement.
ACC Director General Md Akhter Hossain said on Wednesday, “We have already carried out an enforcement drive on this matter. Following that, the report recommended an inquiry, and after reviewing it, the commission decided to proceed with the investigation.”
The enforcement report said, “The chief and other officers of the concerned police station actively facilitated the looting at Sada Pathor by taking commissions from illegal stone traders.”
On Aug 13, a team led by ACC Sylhet Deputy Director Rafi Md Nazmus Sadat visited Sada Pathor. The report was later submitted to higher authorities on Aug 16.
The ACC report found the involvement of 53 individuals, including members of government institutions, private parties, and political leaders, in the looting at Sada Pathor.
According to the report, around 500 cubic feet of illegally extracted stone were loaded onto each truck. Excluding transport costs, the value of the stones per truck was estimated at Tk 91,000.
Of this, Tk 10,000 from each truck was set aside for the police and the administration, while the remaining Tk 81,000 was pocketed by illegal stone extractors.
From the Tk 10,000 share, police received Tk 5,000 and the Upazila administration Tk 5,000 per truck.
Tk 1,000 was collected from every small “barki” boat used in the illegal extraction process – with half going to police and half to the district and Upazila administration.
The ACC report said police collected these illegal levies from each truck and boat through designated sources.