Special Operation to Recover Stolen White Stones in Sylhet, 130 Trucks Seized

A joint operation by law enforcement agencies has been launched in Sylhet to recover stolen and looted white stones, resulting in the seizure of 130 trucks loaded with stones. The operation began after midnight on Wednesday, August 13, 2025, with a checkpoint set up by joint forces in front of Sylhet Club on the Sylhet-Bholaganj road.

Local sources report that the district administration has intensified efforts to recover looted white stones, with approximately 12,000 cubic feet of stones already retrieved. The recovered stones are being returned to the river. The district administration has stated that the operation will continue until all stolen stones are recovered, and those involved in the theft will be identified and face legal action. Sylhet Metropolitan Police’s Additional Deputy Commissioner (Media) Saiful Islam told Kalbela, “We are coordinating with the administration to recover stolen white stones through operations and checkpoints. Strict legal action is being taken against those involved in illegal stone extraction. Our operations in front of Sylhet Club are ongoing, and we maintain a zero-tolerance policy to stop such crimes. Our primary goal is to protect the natural beauty of the area.” Following a Kalbela report titled “Hundreds of Trucks Transporting White Stones Under Cover of Darkness,” the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) conducted an operation at the white stone tourism spot. ACC officials suspect the involvement of influential businessmen, high-ranking individuals, and locals in the large-scale looting of white stones. On Wednesday, August 13, a five-member ACC team, led by Deputy Director Rafi Mohammad Nazmus Sadat from the Sylhet Integrated District Office, visited the white stone area. After the inspection, Rafi Mohammad Nazmus Sadat told the media that those complicit in the indiscriminate looting of stones would be identified, and a report would be sent to the ACC’s central office. The investigation will also examine the role of local administration and the Ministry of Mines and Minerals in this looting, as well as any potential collusion affecting the tourism sector. ACC sources indicate that an investigation has already begun to identify those involved in the looting of natural resources worth hundreds of crores of taka. Legal action will be taken against those found guilty. The issue of white stone looting has been a topic of discussion for a long time. Local residents and tourists have long complained that the looting continues under the patronage of influential groups and political figures, threatening not only natural resources but also the tourism industry. Residents noted that after the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government on August 5, 2024, stone looting began from eight stone quarries and ten non-quarry areas in Sylhet district. Areas such as Shah Arefin Tila in Companiganj, Bholaganj stone quarry, reserved bunker areas, Jaflong (an environmentally critical area), and Bichnakandi tourism center have seen rampant looting. Recently, about 80% of the white stones in the renowned Companiganj tourism center have been depleted, sparking widespread criticism. The administration is now actively working to seize looted stones and prevent further theft. According to district administration sources, a meeting was held on August 13 to determine measures to stop stone looting in Sylhet, including the white stone area. Five unanimous decisions were made: joint forces will operate 24/7 in Jaflong’s ECA and white stone areas; joint forces will maintain constant vigilance at police checkpoints in Gowainghat and Companiganj upazilas; the administration will disconnect electricity and shut down illegal stone-crushing machines; those involved in stone theft will be identified, arrested, and brought to justice; and stolen stones will be recovered and returned to their original locations.

Sylhet’s Additional District Magistrate Farjana Akter Mita told Kalbela, “In the joint operation to recover stolen and looted white stones, approximately 12,000 cubic feet of stones and 130 trucks have been seized. Our operations to recover stolen stones are ongoing, and those involved in the theft will be identified and face legal action.”