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Dhaka, April 27, 2025: In a significant move to prioritize environmental conservation, the government has decided to suspend the leasing of 17 out of 51 stone quarries across the country. The decision was made in response to court injunctions prohibiting leasing activities in ecologically critical areas (ECA). Additionally, to preserve the natural beauty of Sylhet district, leasing activities in the stone quarries of Bholaganj, Utmachhara, Ratanpur, Bisnakandi, and Lobhachhara have also been halted.
The decision was finalized during a meeting held on Sunday (April 27) at the Ministry of Power, Energy, and Mineral Resources, chaired by Adviser Muhammad Fawzul Kabir Khan. The meeting focused on the management of gazetted stone, silica sand, gravel, and white clay quarries nationwide. Key attendees included Adviser to the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change, Syeda Rizwana Hasan, and Adviser to the Ministry of Home Affairs and Agriculture, Lieutenant General (Retd.) Md. Jahangir Alam Chowdhury.
The meeting also mandated that environmental clearance from the Department of Environment (DoE) is now compulsory before leasing any other quarries. To curb illegal stone extraction, local authorities have been directed to hold accountable the actual perpetrators rather than the laborers involved. Furthermore, illegally extracted stones will no longer be sold; instead, they will be supplied through customs for use in government construction projects.
Expressing gratitude to the Ministry of Power and Energy, Environment Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan emphasized that similar policies could be applied to regulate uncontrolled sand extraction. “This approach will protect the environment and public interest while ensuring that natural resources like sand and stone are used lawfully for the benefit of the people,” she said.
The adviser also assured that the DoE would overcome previous limitations and take appropriate measures to safeguard the country’s environment and ecosystems.
Notably, on February 18, 2020, the Energy and Mineral Resources Division had suspended stone extraction from all quarries until further notice. Although this suspension was lifted on January 13 this year, concerns raised by the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change prompted the recent decision to suspend leasing for the 17 quarries.
AI/MR
