Tourists have started returning to Sylhet’s Sada Pathor in Bholaganj, Companiganj upazila, after months of rampant stone looting that devastated the once-popular riverbank attraction.
The local administration has launched a recovery drive, reinstalling looted white stones along the banks of the Piyain and Dholai rivers. Workers are now unloading stones by boat and placing them back in their original spots. On sunny days, at least five to seven thousand visitors are crowding the site, while Fridays see up to nine thousand arrivals despite rain.
Tourists say the stone beds remain thinner than before, but welcomed the initiative as a step toward restoring the area’s natural beauty. Local businesses, which had suffered heavily, expressed relief as visitor numbers gradually rebound. Traders hope that weekend arrivals will again reach pre-looting levels of 12,000 to 14,000, bringing back much-needed income.
The district administration confirmed that stones seized during raids across Companiganj are being restored to the site. Residents have been ordered to return looted stones by 25 August at 5pm, with warnings of stern legal action for non-compliance. Union-level representatives were instructed to report hidden stone caches.
Visiting Sada Pathor, Senior Secretary of the Ministry of Public Administration Md Mokhlesur Rahman said, “What happened here was not looting, it was plunder. Such massive theft next to a BGB camp cannot absolve the force of responsibility.” He ordered 24-hour CCTV surveillance of the site and announced the replacement of the district commissioner, upazila nirbahi officer and assistant commissioner (land) for negligence.
White stones were looted from Bholaganj area in Sylhet. Photo: Sarkar Mazharul Mannan/ TIMES
Newly appointed Deputy Commissioner Md Sarwar Alam said, “Sada Pathor is regaining its old shape, which is a huge relief. Tourists are regaining confidence, and we are working to restore all facilities quickly.” He warned that those failing to return stolen stones within the deadline would face tough action.
Secretary of the Department of Minerals Md Saiful Islam admitted that full restoration is unlikely: “Simply replacing stones cannot fully recover the lost beauty, but we are trying to compensate for the damage as much as possible.”
Located along the Meghalaya border, Sada Pathor is famed for its crystal-clear waters and gleaming white stones. But in the wake of the July Uprising and the change of government, the area saw unchecked plunder for over a year. A recent Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) report revealed that nearly 80 percent of stones in Sada Pathor had been looted, alongside widespread losses in Jaflong and Jaintapur.