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Published : 22 Aug 2025, 02:37 AM
An Anti‑Corruption Commission (ACC) report into the looting of stones from the Sada Pathar area in Sylhet’s Companyganj implicates influential political figures and shows that senior administrators shared in the spoils.
The ACC identified 42 people involved in the illegal extraction. Among them were 20 members of the BNP, seven from the Awami League, and two each from Jamaat-e-Islami and the National Citizen Party (NCP).
The report found that during enforcement operations and investigations, the ACC’s enforcement team uncovered evidence of negligence by the Bureau of Mineral Development, local administration, police and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) personnel.
The watchdog's Additional Deputy Director Rafi Md Nazmus Sadat led a five-strong team to the site following protests over the looting on Aug 13, and reported their preliminary findings to Dhaka.
The report estimates the value of stolen stone to be in the hundreds of crores of taka.
“We have submitted a preliminary report,” Sadat said. “Next, there will be a public inquiry and appropriate action against all involved.”
ACC spokesperson Md Akhtar Hossain said: “Given the confirmed evidence of stone theft, our report recommends a public investigation. The matter is now before the commission.”
Since Aug 5 last year, widespread illegal stone extraction has swept through key tourist sites in Sylhet. In Companyganj, the looting spanned the Bholaganj quarry, the 55 hectare Shah Arefin Tila, the Sada Pathar tourist zone, and the nearby 4 hectare railway bunkers.
Similar plunder took place in Gowainghat’s popular spots -- Jaflong and Bisnakandi -- and in Jaintiapur’s Lalakhal and Sreepur-Rangpani areas.
Local authorities allowed the looting to unfold under their watch, both day and night, according to the ACC report.
The tourist zones were stripped of stones and sand, leaving once-scenic sites barren. The Shah Arefin Tila and the railway bunkers have turned into scarred, hollowed-out grounds.
Public assets worth crores of taka have been lost, pocketed by profiteering networks.
Bangladesh has 51 officially designated quarries for stone and sand extraction across the country. Eight of those are located in Sylhet’s Kanaighat, Companyganj, Gowainghat, and Jaintiapur Upazilas.
Outside of these licensed sites, stones and sand are also found in tourist destinations such as Sada Pathar, Jaflong, Bisnakandi, Utma Chora and ten other locations.
The raw materials in these areas flow from mountain rivers in Meghalaya, across the Indian border.
Before 2020, the government issued leases for stone extraction from the eight licensed quarries in Sylhet, excluding ecologically sensitive areas.
But the lease system was halted after 2020, due to the environmental and ecological damage it caused.
WHAT THE REPORT SAYS
The ACC report says in collusion with the local administration, “dishonest” individuals illegally extracted stones worth “several hundred crore taka” from the Sada Pathar tourist site.
The looting intensified after the fall of the government on Aug 5, 2024, and continued for at least three months.
According to the findings, indiscriminate extraction was still taking place as recently as 15 days before the ACC team’s visit. Around 80 percent of the stones in the area have already been removed.
What remains is a barren landscape riddled with pits and sandbanks.
The report details the names and roles of those involved in the looting under six categories, identifying both individuals and the functions of relevant government agencies.
It accuses senior district officials -- including the divisional commissioner, deputy commissioner (DC), superintendent of police (SP), Upazila administrator (UNO), and local police chief (OC) of the local police -- of inaction and taking commissions from the looters.
The report also notes that a few journalists and individuals from other professions were involved in or benefited from the operation, though their names do not appear in the official list.
DC, UNO ‘TOOK COMMISSION’
The ACC’s enforcement team questioned visitors, traders and locals during their visit to the Sada Pathar area, and found that several senior officials -- including the DC), UNO, assistant commissioner (land), and Tahsildars (now known as union land assistant officers) – “received commissions” from the illegal stone trade.
According to testimonies gathered by the team, officers collected Tk 5,000 per truck and Tk 500 per boatload of looted stone. These amounts were pocketed by staff of the local administration under the guise of commission.
The commission cut was reportedly distributed among the district and Upazila administration.
The ACC found that payments were channelled through designated sources and staff within the land offices and Upazila administration.
Despite the official ban on stone extraction, Sylhet DC Mohammad Sher Mahbub Murad, who was made an officer on special duty (OSD) in a punishment posting on Monday, showed a “lack of sincerity, negligence, failure, and inaction” in preventing the looting, the report noted.
The enforcement team also observed that the DC failed to provide proper guidance to the Companyganj Upazila administration to protect the Sada Pathar tourist site.
According to the report, for the past year, looting took place in broad daylight in the Upazila -- particularly in Sada Pathar -- right under the administration’s nose.
During this period, four UNOs were posted to Companyganj -- Abida Sultana, Urmi Roy, Md Abul Hasnat, and Azizun Nahar (transferred on Monday).
The report said they took only superficial and symbolic steps that had little impact in stopping the looting.
It also accuses Sylhet Divisional Commissioner Khan Md Reza-Un-Nabi of enabling the looting.
It cites a meeting he held on Jul 8, 2024, at his office with stone traders, transport workers and political leaders.
Despite a government ban on stone extraction issued on Feb 18, 2020, he reportedly said during the meeting: “If stone can be extracted across the country, why not in Sylhet? People’s lives and livelihoods are tied to this.”
The ACC says this remark -- later reported by multiple media outlets -- encouraged those involved in the looting of Sada Pathar.
However, speaking to journalists during a public event in Companyganj on Wednesday, the divisional commissioner denied encouraging stone theft. “On the 8th of July, we only discussed leases. I didn’t say anything about stone theft. I didn’t say anything that would encourage stone thieves.
“If anyone claims otherwise or spreads such a message, that’s a misunderstanding.”
POLICE ALSO TOOK SHARE
The ACC enforcement team found that each truck used for stone extraction in Sada Pathar typically carried around 500 cubic feet of stone.
At a rate of Tk 182 per cubic foot, the value of stone in each truck was estimated at Tk 91,000, excluding transport costs.
Of this amount, Tk 5,000 was set aside for police and another Tk 5,000 for the civil administration. The remaining Tk 81,000 was split among the illegal stone extractors, the report says.
According to the findings, the police commission was distributed among SP, the circle assistant SP, the local police station OC, and other personnel.
In addition, a commission of Tk 500 was collected by the police from each “Barki” boat used for illegal stone extraction.
This cut from both trucks and boats was collected through designated sources, the report says.
The report identifies OC Uzair Al Mahmud Adnan and several other police personnel at Companyganj Police Station as recipients of varying amounts in commission.
It says they “actively cooperated” with those involved in the illegal operation.
When asked about the allegation, Sylhet Police Superintendent Md Mahbubur Rahman said: “Ask those who wrote this to prove it. I have nothing more to say.”
Attempts to reach OC Uzair were unsuccessful.
BOMD ‘FAILED TO ACT’
The national anti-corruption agency said the Bureau of Mineral Development took no effective action to prevent the illegal extraction of stone from the Sada Pathar area.
The ACC report notes that the BOMD has the authority to identify those involved in illegal activities, inform the local administration, and initiate legal steps against the offenders.
Despite having this mandate, the bureau failed to act, the report says.
BGB ‘STAYED SILENT’
Three BGB camps are located within 500 metres of the Sada Pathar, but personnel remained inactive as large-scale stone looting unfolded, according to the ACC report.
The report says the BGB members, including Company Commander Iqbal Hossain, received financial benefits in return for turning a blind eye to the illegal extraction.
“Despite the short distance from the site, looters operated freely due to the inaction and monetary gain of the BGB personnel,” the report states.
Attempts to contact Lt Col Md Nazmul Haque, commander of the BGB Sylhet-48 battalion, for comment were unsuccessful.
BNP, JAMAAT PROTEST
In a media appearance on Wednesday, Rezaul Hasan Koyes Ludhi, acting president of Sylhet Metropolitan BNP, strongly rejected the stone-smuggling allegations.
He said, “Without any credible evidence, proper investigation or factual basis, my name and that of General Secretary Imdad Hossain Chowdhury have been maliciously included in a list of alleged looters.
“This is not only defamatory but also entirely fabricated. We are deeply shocked by these baseless political attacks.”
In a separate statement, Sylhet’s district and metropolitan office of Jamaat-e-Islami echoed similar views. They denounced the allegations as “politically motivated conspiracy” aimed to tarnish reputations, pointing out that no leader, and not even rank-and-file members, had any involvement in the matter.
The Sylhet district and city units of Jamaat also said the claims were “fabricated”, with no connection to their leaders or supporters.
