Sand Looting in Sylhet: A Consensus of Plunde

In Jaintapur Upazila of Sylhet, sand is being illegally extracted from non-leased areas of the Baragang River. The extracted sand is stockpiled at the Ferryghat area and transported by trucks for sale across various regions. This was observed on Monday afternoon.

The rampant looting of sand is not limited to the Baragang River but extends to areas like Sripur, Rangpani, Jaflong, and other reserved quarry zones and tourist spots in Sylhet. This uncontrolled extraction is stripping these areas of their natural beauty, leaving them desolate. Locals allege that politically backed syndicates are openly plundering sand, with little effective action from the administration despite occasional raids. This threatens both the ecological balance and the existence of these tourist destinations. Sripur and Rangpani, once vibrant tourist spots, have lost much of their charm. Since 1992, Sripur was designated as a stone quarry by the Bureau of Mineral Development (BMD), and by 2013, it was officially gazetted as such. This led to a gradual decline in its aesthetic appeal, with Rangpani also affected. Although leasing was halted in 2020, illegal sand and stone extraction continued unabated. The situation worsened after the fall of the Awami League government on August 5, 2024, with covert looting now occurring openly. The Sripur and Rangpani of today bear little resemblance to their picturesque past seen in films from four decades ago. Most large stones have been looted, and the remaining sand dunes that once adorned the riverbanks are gone. Sand is being excavated from the riverbeds and surrounding chars with shovels and spades, rendering these areas barren. The once-beautiful landscapes are now akin to wastelands. On Monday evening, at Sripur’s source near Mokampunji village, the river’s low water levels revealed numerous sand heaps. Some individuals were seen loading sand onto boats, though locals noted that ongoing administrative raids have temporarily halted such activities due to fear. Similar scenes were observed at Rangpani’s Bananghat, Adarshagram, and Banglabazar areas, where 15 to 20 people were extracting sand. In Sripur, both sand and stones are being looted simultaneously. Environmentalists point out that sand is being extracted from non-leased areas, including Sripur and Rangpani, and even leaseholders are accused of extracting sand beyond their designated boundaries. After depleting stone reserves, looters have now turned their attention to sand, with many sand mahals already exhausted. According to the district administration, Sylhet has 40 sand mahals, of which 20 are leasable. Fifteen have been leased for approximately BDT 271.5 million, while five remain unleased. **Unrestrained Sand Looting** At Jaflong, located 65 kilometers from Sylhet in Gowainghat Upazila, sand extraction is rampant near the Jaflong Bridge over the Piyain River. Rows of wooden boats and bulkheads are anchored along the river, with workers loading sand onto the banks or boats for supply to various areas. On Monday evening, no sand extraction was observed at Jaflong, likely due to ongoing raids, but around 50 people were seen extracting sand near the Jaflong tea garden. Locals estimate that sand worth BDT 100–150 million has been looted from Jaflong alone since August 5, 2024. Gowainghat Upazila Executive Officer (UNO) Ratan Kumar Adhikari stated that while thousands of boats were previously involved in sand and stone looting, ongoing raids have significantly reduced such activities. He emphasized that illegal sand extraction will not be tolerated. On Monday, from 2:15 PM to 2:45 PM, hundreds of sand-laden boats were seen heading toward Baragang from the Ferryghat area en route to Lalakhal, a popular tourist destination known as the “blue water river.” At the leased Baragang sand mahal’s source in Lalakhal, a bulkhead was observed extracting sand from a non-leased area, with visible signs of riverbank digging. At the leased section of the Baragang River, 30 to 35 people were seen resting under a canopy. One of them, Abdul Mannan, claimed the mahal is leased in one person’s name but involves 20–30 partners, including himself. He admitted that a boat was mistakenly extracting sand from a non-leased area but said measures were taken to stop it. However, locals report that ongoing raids and high water levels have temporarily slowed illegal extraction. They fear that once water levels drop, looting will resume, particularly in Lalakhal. Between September 2024 and February 2025, sand worth BDT 20–30 million was looted. Jaintapur UNO George Mitra Chakma stated that illegal sand extraction from non-leased areas is prohibited, and regular taskforce operations are being conducted. Some sand mahals are under legal disputes, with extraction banned in those areas. Locals also report illegal sand extraction using dredgers from Baon Haor, linked to the Piyain River, and rampant looting from the Khasi and Naljuri rivers in Jaintapur and Gowainghat. Sand is transported by boats and stockpiled at Gowainghat’s Nau Ghat. A syndicate, allegedly backed by political consensus, has emerged in Sylhet’s sand looting operations. Post-August 5, 2024, control of sand mahals and quarries shifted from Awami League leaders to BNP and its allied organizations, with allegations also implicating Jamaat leaders. Named individuals include Jaintapur Upazila BNP Vice-Presidents Abdul Ahad and Alamgir Hossain, Jaintapur Union Jamaat Amir Nurul Islam, and Jaintapur Union Jubo Dal General Secretary Dildar Hossain. Previously, Awami League’s Jaintapur Upazila Organizing Secretary Abdur Razzak alias Raja was the key patron, but he went into hiding after the government’s fall. Notably, Abdul Ahad is Raja’s brother-in-law. The accused leaders have denied involvement. Abdul Ahad claimed he left the stone business in 2018, while Alamgir Hossain and Nurul Islam also denied any connection, with the latter alleging politically motivated false propaganda. Environmentalists, including Abdul Karim Chowdhury of Dhara Sylhet, have expressed outrage, stating that both stone and sand looting surged after the Awami League’s fall. Despite protests, the local administration has failed to curb these activities effectively. Chowdhury emphasized the need for stricter legal measures to protect Sylhet’s natural heritage.