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The law enforcers started action against the people who looted stones from the Sadapathar area. In a joint drive conducted by the administration and joint forces, started since yesterday evening have recovered 12,000 sft stones from nearby areas. The stones would now be restored to their original location, said the Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Sher Mahbub Murad this afternoon while visiting the site.
He also said that the law enforcers today seized 120 truck loads of stone at the check points set on the Sylhet-regional highway.
These would be reset at the renowned tourist site. As allegations were raised against the negligence of local administration over protecting the stones at their original site, he said, actions would be taken if the anything comes in the probe report.
The 3-men probe committee, formed on Tuesday afternoon, is set to file its report by Sunday. The ADC (Rev) Md. Nure Zaman Chowdhury, additional SP Matiur Rahman and Companiganj Upazila Nirbahi Officer Azizunnahar accompanied the DC. The joint forces would work round the clock, he said.
The UNO led the drive. Besides drives on the illegal stone crushers at places would also continue, the DC added. In a similar drive at Jafflong tourist area and adjacent places, 2000 sft stones were seized as these had been looted from the tourist spot.
UNB adds: Police arrested Purbo Islampur Union Parishad Chairman in connection with the theft of stones from Sada Pathor, a popular tourist spot in Companiganj upazila of the district.
UP chairman Alamgir Hossain Alam was arrested around 5am on Thursday from Companiganj, said Officer-in-Charge (OC) Uzair Al Mahmud Adnan of Companiganj Police Station.
He was arrested in a joint drive by the district administration and law enforcement agencies that began Wednesday midnight to recover stolen stones from the area.
Meanwhile an FE report says, the High Court on Thursday ordered the relevant government authorities to collect all the stones removed illegally from Bholaganj and restore them to their original locations within seven days.
The High Court bench of Justice Kazi Zinat Hoque and Justice Aynun Nahar Siddiqua passed the order after hearing a writ petition filed by a rights organisation, Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh (HRPB).
The High Court also directed government bodies, including the Sylhet district administration, BGB, and RAB, to prepare a list of individuals involved in the looting of white stones, popularly known as Sada Pathor, and submit it to the court within 60 days.
The Environment and Mineral Resources Secretaries were also instructed to form an expert committee, including a BUET Professor, within seven days to assess financial losses and submit their findings within three months.
The local administration has been tasked with creating a 24/7 monitoring team for the area within 48 hours and reporting compliance to the court within two weeks.
The Environment Secretary, Mineral Resources Secretary, Sylhet Deputy Commissioner, Superintendent of Police, and other relevant authorities have been asked to comply with the court order.
Senior Advocate Manzill Murshid, who represented the writ petitioner in the court proceedings, told reporters that recent media reports revealed the large-scale disappearance of white stones in Bholaganj, Sylhet.
Following the hearing, the court also issued a rule asking the respondents to explain why the administration's negligence and failure to prevent the illegal extraction and removal of white stones should not be declared unlawful.
The court also wanted to know why the area should not be preserved and declared an Ecological Critical Area, and why those responsible should not be made to pay damages equivalent to the environmental loss.
Another writ petition has been filed with the High Court seeking its directives on the government bodies to take action against the responsible persons involved in the stone looting from Bholaganj.
The High Court bench of Justice Fahmida Quader and Justice Sayed Jahed Mansur will hear writ petition filed by Supreme Court lawyer AKM Nurun Nabi on Sunday.
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