Bappa Maitra, bdnews24.com

The administration in Sylhet has come under fire for failing to protect natural tourism spots from rampant plunder. While authorities moved to recover looted stones from Sada Pathar and Jaflong, fresh allegations have surfaced that organised groups are now stripping Rangpani, another scenic attraction in Jaintapur Upazila, of its stone and sand.

The Rangpani site, a natural formation of water, pebbles and rocks near the Sreepur border, is being ravaged.

Locals allege that politically connected groups, aided by corrupt officials and law enforcers, are driving the destruction.

Stone looting has been ongoing for years, but locals say it intensified after Aug 5 last year.

Labourers reportedly cross into the Indian side of the border, collect stones, and transport them back. Political patronage enables the trade, villagers claim.

Young journalist Ruman Ahmed visited Rangpani on Sunday. “We saw eight to 10 barges carrying stones. Hills were being cut, leaving gaping holes. Stones were broken into pieces with hammers before being loaded,” he said.

Once transported, the stones are stockpiled behind Rangpani Captain Rashid High School and College before being trucked to different areas. Each barge pays Tk 800 per trip in extortion, while trucks are charged Tk 3,000. A barge can carry 60–80 cubic feet of stone and make 8–10 trips a day.

Locals allege that the racket was once patronised by Awami League leaders but is now under leaders of the BNP and Jatiyatabadi Jubo Dal. They point fingers at Jaintapur BNP president Abdul Ahad, Jubo Dal General Secretary and Sreepur quarry head Dildar Hossain, former Jaintapur chairman and BNP leader Alamgir Hossain, and Jamaat-e-Islami leader Amir Nurul Islam.

All deny involvement. Nurul called the allegations a conspiracy to discredit his organisation, insisting he left the stone business in 2017.

Alamgir said his name was being dragged in because he plans to contest elections, while Abdul Ahad claimed extortionists he opposed were framing him. Dildar said Sreepur quarry has no lease and is closed, challenging anyone to prove his role.

Other business association leaders in Asampada, Adarshagram and Banglabazar also denied involvement, saying their ghats were closed and they no longer ran collections.

Some admitted stone theft was taking place but insisted it was outside their control.

Environmental activists say the destruction could have been avoided.

“Had the administration acted firmly at Sada Pathar, Rangpani and other spots would not have faced this,” said Kashmir Reza, general secretary of BAPA’s Sylhet unit.

He urged the new district commissioner to take strict action, warning that every tourism site in Sylhet is being stripped.

Jaintapur Police chief Abul Bashar Md Badruzzaman said he did not know about extortion in the name of police. Jaintapur Upazila administrator (UNO) Georag Mittra Chakma acknowledged some were abusing the administration’s name but said multiple raids had been carried out and would continue.

Amid rising concern, local authorities launched recovery operations. Assistant Commissioner (Land) Farzana Akter Laboni said 28,000 cubic feet of sand and 20,000 cubic feet of stone were seized on Tuesday alone. A day earlier, 35 trucks of sand and 9,500 cubic feet of stone had been confiscated.

She stressed that community awareness was essential. “Without people’s participation, this cannot be stopped. We have ordered regular cases against crusher owners,” she said, adding that confiscated stones would be restored to the Rangpani River.