S A Shofiee, Sylhet :
The Cabinet Division Investigation Committee formed in the stone looting incident has visited the Sadapathar tourist spot in Sylhet.
On Tuesday morning, a 5-member team led by Coordination and Reforms Department Secretary Zaheda Parveen went to the Sadapathar area. During this time, they visited the Sadapathar area. They spoke to local people, businessmen and concerned parties. Earlier, they first visited the railway bunker area. The Additional Divisional Commissioner of Sylhet, as well as divisional and district administration officials, were also present at the time. The Cabinet Division Investigation Committee was formed on August 20. The committee, led by Coordination and Reforms Department Secretary Zaheda Parveen, includes the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, Ministry of Forest and Environment, Ministry of Public Administration, and Additional Secretary of Public Security Department. The committee will submit an investigation report within 10 working days. Meanwhile, the district administration’s 3-day ultimatum to return the stones ended on Monday.
Various sources in the administration say that 2.5 million cubic feet of looted stones have been recovered so far. Of this, 600,000 cubic feet of stones have been replaced. Another 700,000 cubic feet of stones have been kept ready for replacement at Ghat No. 10 in Bholaganj.
The recovered stones will be replaced in stages at the white stone tourist spot, said Deputy Commissioner Md. Sarwar Alam. Since the change of government on August 5 last year, widespread looting of white stones has started.
In August this year, when pictures and videos of white stones without stones were spread on Facebook, there was widespread criticism across the country. After that, the administration was shaken. On August 13, a team led by Rafi Md. Nazmus Sadat, Deputy Director of the Sylhet office of the DADAK, inspected the white stone. Then they submitted an investigation report to the higher authorities on August 16.
The ACC said in the report that 53 people, including various government institutions, individuals and leaders of various political parties, were involved in the white stone looting. The report said that there was inaction and collusion by the local administration and other related organisations in the stone embezzlement incident.
Sylhet Deputy Commissioner Sher Mahbub Murad has already been transferred to OSD and Companyganj UNO Azizunnahar has been transferred in the white stone looting incident. On August 17, Environment Advisor Syeda Rizwana Hasan said about the white stone looting, the Environment Advisor said, “The political unity that has been formed here, against it, the administration has either colluded, or remained silent, or both have happened. For this, we will take action against the administration and we will take action quickly.”
