Law enforcers have recovered 100,800 cubic feet of stones over the past two days and half of the retrieved stones have already been returned to Sada Pathar area in Companyganj upazila of Sylhet.
The District Administration’s media cell confirmed the operation. The administration officials said that the authorities have recovered another 45,000 cubic feet of stones looted from Shada Pathar on Friday during raids across different areas of the upazila.
Assistant commissioner Md Masud Rana said that around 45,000 cubic feet of stones were recovered on Friday and some 100,000 cubic feet of stones were seized from Wednesday midnight to Friday afternoon.
The recovered stones are being gradually returned to Shada Pathar area .
Upazila administration and law enforcement in joint operation recover white stones. Photo: UNB
Acting on tip-off, the administration conducted a raid in Kalabari, where a large quantity of stones hidden under the soil was seized, he said adding that, seven truckloads of stones have already been returned to Shada Phatar, with an additional estimated 5,000 cubic feet scheduled for restoration on Saturday.
Besides, a joint operation, conducted by the upazila administration and law enforcement, recovered stones stolen from Zero Point in Jaflong, Goainhat upazila.
Over two days, officers recovered 8,500 cubic feet of looted stones from various sites along the Piyain River by Friday evening. The stones were returned to the river using boats at Zero Point.
Goainhat Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Ratan Kumar Adhikari said continuous police and BGB patrols are in place, and further operations will continue in the coming days. However, no arrests have been made so far in connection with the theft.
A case has been filed in connection with the looting of white stones from Sada Pathar in Companiganj.
Uzayer Al Mahmud Adnan, Officer-In-Charge of Companiganj Police Station, confirming the matter on Friday night said that the case was lodged against 1,500-2,000 unidentified people with the police station.
Police station sources said that Mohammad Anwarul Habib, joint secretary, director general of the Energy and Mineral Resources Division (EMRD), as a plaintiff has filed the case.
The one-page statement of the case states that news has been published in various national media outlets that some miscreants have looted stones worth crores of taka from the gazetted stone quarries since August 5 last year.
The identities of those involved in the incident could not be identified.