The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has found evidence of the direct and indirect involvement of 42 politicians and influential figures in the looting of stones at Sada Pathor area in Companiganj upazila of Sylhet.
The list includes leaders and activists of the BNP, Jamaat, NCP and Awami League. In addition, the local administration, police, and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) were either inactive or in collusion in the looting.
The ACC gathered this information during an enforcement drive in the Sada Pathor area. On 13 August, a five-member team led by Rafi Md Najmus Sadat, deputy director of the ACC’s integrated district office in Sylhet, carried out the operation. All findings from the drive were later sent to Dhaka in a report. The matter became public yesterday, Wednesday.
Speaking to Prothom Alo on the issue, ACC deputy director Rafi Md Najmus Sadat said, “Permission has been sought from the Commission to open a case file for detailed investigation into the stone looting at Sada Pathor area.” However, he declined to make any further comments.
After the enforcement operation, the ACC sent a report to Dhaka. It stated that miscreants, in collusion with the local administration, illegally extracted stones worth several hundred crores of taka from the Sada Pathor tourist area.
Stone extraction has continued since the fall of the government on 5 August 2024 and especially over the past three months. The most recent phase of indiscriminate extraction and looting took place 15 days ago, during which nearly 80 per cent of the stones were extracted. The area has now been left pitted with countless craters and sandbanks.
The report ACC sent to Dhaka reached Prothom Alo last night. It shows that the individuals and institutions involved in the stone looting have been detailed under six categories, along with the roles played by different government agencies.
Allegations have been made against the divisional commissioner, the deputy commissioner (DC), the superintendent of police (SP), the upazila nirbahi officer (UNO), and the officer-in-charge (OC) of the local police station. These include inaction, as well as taking commissions from the looters.
The ACC report mentions six categories of involvement in the looting: first, the Bureau of Mineral Development (BMD); followed by the local administration, police, BGB, politicians, and others. It further noted that the exact responsibilities of the BMD and BGB officials would be determined during the next phase of investigation.
‘DC, UNO take commissions from stone trade’
During its enforcement drive, the ACC team interrogated visitors, traders, and others in the Shada Pathor area.
From these accounts, they learned that the deputy commissioner (DC), upazila nirbahi officer (UNO), assistant commissioner (land), Tahsildar (currently called union land assistant officers), and several others received commissions from the illegal stone trade. Local administration officials were said to receive Tk 5,000 per truck and Tk 500 per boatload (known as barki boats).
According to the ACC’s findings, commissions within the civil administration were divided between the district and upazila administrations. The money was collected through designated sources and employees from the land offices and upazila administration.
Although there was an official ban on stone extraction, the ACC report stated that the former Sylhet DC, Mohammad Sher Mahbub Murad (transferred last Monday and made an officer on special duty), demonstrated a lack of will, negligence, failure, and inaction in preventing the looting.
The report further noted that he has also shown incompetence in providing effective guidance to the Companiganj upazila administration on safeguarding the Sada Pathor tourist site.
According to the ACC, large-scale stone looting went on in broad daylight for the past year under the very nose of the upazila administration in Companiganj, especially in the Sada pathor tourist area. During this period, four UNOs Abida Sultana, Urmi Roy, Mohammad Abul Hasnat, and Azizunnahar (also transferred last Monday) were posted there.
Apart from taking token measures just for the show, none of them took effective action to stop the looting, ACC said.
Meanwhile, the ACC report also stated that Sylhet’s divisional commissioner, Khan Md Reza-un-Nabi facilitated the looting. Their observation was that, although a government order banned stone extraction from 18 February 2020, the divisional commissioner, in a meeting at his office on 8 July with stone traders, transport workers, and political leaders, stated, ‘If stone extraction can take place across the country, why not in Sylhet? People’s lives and livelihoods are tied to this.’ When his comments were circulated in the media, they encouraged the rampant looting of stones in Sada Pathor area.
However, in response to journalists’ questions after a views-exchange in Companiganj upazila yesterday, the divisional commissioner said, “On 8 July, we discussed lease-related issues, not stone looting. I never said anything that would encourage stone looters. If anyone claims otherwise, that’s a wrong message.”
Meanwhile, the former DC of Sylhet, Mohammad Sher Mahbub Murad, recently made an officer on special duty (OSD) told Prothom Alo two days earlier, “I tried my best to prevent stone looting. I was never inactive.” Similarly, recently transferred UNO from Companiganj, Azizunnahar told Prothom Alo on Monday, “No one can prove that I took even a single taka by helping the stone looters.”
‘SP and OC also get a cut’
During the enforcement drive, the ACC discovered that each truck carries around 500 cubic feet of illegally extracted stone. Excluding transportation costs, the price per truckload is set at Tk 91,000, which means a cost of Tk 182 per cubic foot.
Out of this, Tk 5,000 per truck is set aside for the police and another Tk 5,000 for the administration. The remaining Tk 81,000 is pocketed by those involved in the illegal extraction.
According to the ACC, the police’s share is distributed among the superintendent of police (SP), the circle ASP, the officer-in-charge (OC), and several other police personnel. In addition, every barki boat used in illegal stone extraction is charged Tk 500 as commission for the police. The police collect these levies through designated sources from each truck and boat.
Meanwhile, the ACC observed that of Companiganj Police Station OC Uzair Al Mahmud Adnan along with other officers stationed there actively facilitated the looting of stone at Sada Pathor area by taking commissions of different amounts from illegal stone traders.
When asked about this, superintendent of police in Sylhet Mohammad Mahbubur Rahman told Prothom Alo, “Since they (ACC) have said this, it is now up to them to prove it. One cannot just come up with fabricated, baseless information and expect it to stand.”
When tried to contact Companiganj OC Uzair Al Mahmud Adnan over phone for his comment on this he did not respond, so his statement could not be obtained.
Loot in the name of ‘all-party consensus’
The ACC has reported that during the enforcement drive it found the direct and indirect involvement of 42 politicians, stone traders and other local influential figures in the looting of stone resources.
Among them are 21 leaders from the BNP (including one expelled leader), 2 from Jamaat-e-Islami, 2 from the National Citizens Party (NCP), and 7 from the Awami League (activities are currently banned). The political identities of the others remain unknown.
Of the political leaders, the list includes names of city BNP acting president Rezaul Hasan Kayes Lodi, city BNP general secretary Imdad Hossain Chowdhury, city Jamaat Ameer Md Fakhrul Alam, district Jamaat secretary Zainal Abedin, chief coordinator of district NCP Nazim Uddin, chief coordinator of city NCP Abu Sadek Mohammad Khairul Islam Chowdhury and suspended president of the Companiganj BNP unit Shahab Uddin.
Among the stone traders, the names mentioned are the Companiganj BNP member Haji Kamal, former president of the Companiganj Sramik Dal Lal Mia, convener of the Companiganj Jubo Dal Sajjad Hossain alias Dudu, joint general secretary of the district Jubo Dal Rubel Ahmed Bahar, and assistant organising secretary of the district Jubo Dal Mustakin Ahmed Farhad. Awami League activists Bilal Mia, Shahab Uddin and Gias Uddin are also on the list.
Others named on the list includes, former office secretary of the Companiganj BNP Dulal Mia alias Dula, joint convener of the Companiganj Jubo Dal Rajan Mia, Jubo Dal leader Jasim Uddin and his brother Sazon Mia, BNP activist Zakir Hossain, BNP members Mozafar Ali and Manik Mia, Awami League activist Monir Mia (recently arrested in another case), Awami League activists Habil Mia and Saidur Rahman, vice-president of the Companiganj Awami League Abdul Wadud Alfu, general secretary of the district Jubo Dal Mohammad Maksud Ahmed, suspended joint general secretary of the district BNP Rafiqul Islam alias Shahporan, expelled BNP treasurer Shah Alam Swapan, expelled assistant organising secretary of the district Jubo Dal Abul Kashem, and president of the east Jaflong union BNP in Gowainghat Amzad Baksh notably.
According to the ACC’s findings from the drive, these 31 political leaders used their influence and collusion with the local administration to illegally exploit state-owned stone resources by deploying several thousand labourers. They personally profited financially from the stone looting.
In addition to these 31 leaders, allegations have been brought against 11 others under the ‘others' category. They are Anar Ali, Usman Khan, Iqbal Hossain Arif, Delwar Hossain Jibon, Arjan Mia, Zakir, Ali Akbar, Ali Abbas, Md Jewel, Aaomgir Alam (chairman of Ward no. 2, East Islambur Union in Companiganj), and Moukarrim Ahmed, a teacher at Jamiya Islamia Hossainia Madrasa in Mirbaskhtola area of Sylhet.
The ACC report further mentioned that information has been found on several journalists and professionals from other fields also being involved and benefited from the looting of stones. However their names were not included in the list.
After the ACC report was revealed, acting president of city BNP Rezaul Hasan Kayes Lodi and general secretary of city BNP Imdad Hossain Chowdhury held an emergency press conference on Wednesday afternoon. They rejected the allegations, claiming, “We challenge anyone to prove we are directly or indirectly involved in such crimes. There's not even a question of it.”
Similarly, city Jamaat ameer Fakhrul Islam and district Jamaat secretary Zainal Abedin told Prothom Alo that there's a conspiracy in play to destroy their image. This is hiding the real truth. A fair and transparent investigation is needed to reveal the actual culprits. It is unfortunate that lies are being spread, he added.
Meanwhile, chief coordinator of district NCP Nazim Uddin, and chief coordinator of city NCP Abu Sadek Mohammad Khairul Islam Chowdhury also denied the allegations brought against them. They said that they do not even have the slightest involvement in the looting of stone resources. The claims are misleading and defamatory.
BMD failed to take effective action
During its drive, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) found that the Bureau of Mineral Development (BMD) had taken no effective measures to prevent the looting of stones at Sada Pathor. The BMD holds the authority to identify those involved in illegal activities, notify the local administration, and take legal steps against the culprits. Yet, it failed to do so.
BGB also remained silent in exchange for money
The ACC report mentioned that there are three Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) camps or posts in the Sada Pathor area. It noted that each camp is located within 500 metres of the Sada Pathor site. Despite this proximity, illegal extraction continued easily because Company Commander Iqbal Hossain and other BGB personnel allegedly received financial benefits and remained inactive.
When contacted, Lieutenant Colonel Nazmul Haque, commanding officer of the 48 BGB Battalion, told Prothom Alo, “There is no truth to this information (provided by the ACC). It is false. I don’t know on what basis such claims were made.”