Stones looted from Sada Pathar recovered from mills, yards, even kitchens

Authorities say over 100 locations are suspected to be hiding looted stones underground as operations continue in Companiganj

Authorities have recovered stones looted from the Sada Pathar tourist zone in Sylhet’s Companiganj, unearthing truckloads buried under sand in yards, homes and behind kitchens.

The operation, launched late Wednesday, continued into Friday morning in the Kolabari area, where seven trucks of hidden stones were dug up.

District Executive Magistrate Mahmud Ashik Kabir said nearly 5,000 cubic feet had been recovered during Friday’s phase of the raid.

“Looted stones were buried beneath layers of earth and sand -- not just in crusher mills, but even at the back of houses and inside kitchen compounds,” he said. “We have information suggesting they’ve been hidden at more than 100 locations.”

Sada Pathar, located along the Dhalai River, has been stripped by unchecked looting in recent weeks. Stones were loaded onto boats in broad daylight, while riverbank sand was excavated to extract more.

Local residents say the area has suffered extensive environmental damage.

The High Court on Thursday ordered all looted stones to be recovered and returned to their original site within seven days.

The administration began reinstating them into the river by boat that same night.

Officials said over 12,000 cubic feet have already been returned to the Sada Pathar zone.

Alongside the recovery effort, 130 trucks used in the looting have been seized.

Most crusher mills in the area have shut down since the raids began, and on Thursday the authorities cut power to several sites.

Residents say many mill owners and stone traders have gone into hiding.