Md. Dulal Hossain Raju, Jaintapur (Sylhet)

On the orders of the Department of Environment, a local influential group has been accused of illegally extracting stones by digging large holes with a feluder near the northern boundary of the Jaflong Ballaghat Ballapunji Government Primary School in Gowainghat Upazila of Sylhet.

After a site visit, it was revealed that Manik Mia and Israt Mia, two sons of Abdur Rahim Master of the local area, are illegally extracting stones by digging large holes with a feluder near the eastern side of the Mariam Restaurant, which adjoins the boundary wall of the Ballaghat Ballapunji Government Primary School in Jaflong, one of the tourist centers of Sylhet. The shops of the Ballaghat Tourism Center, Ballapunji Government Primary School and the surrounding areas are at risk due to illegal stone extraction.

Jaflong, one of the country's tourist centers, is a sanctuary for travelers who are thirsty for the beautiful scenery of nature, the fairyland of nature, and the mythical scenery of Baichi.

Thousands of people from different parts of the country and abroad come to see the natural beauty of this town surrounded by the foothills of the Meghalaya hills and the daughter of nature, Jaflong. But Jaflong is losing its beautiful beauty due to the clutches of stone quarrying.

When contacted on mobile phone about illegal stone quarrying, Manik Mia said, "We are quarrying stones from our registered land, then we have reached an understanding with the assistant director of the Department of Environment, he has given his assurance, so we are quarrying stones." In this regard, Badrul Huda, Assistant Director of the Department of Environment, Sylhet, said, "I have not given any assurance to anyone for illegal quarrying of stones and I have not reached any understanding with anyone in this regard."

He also said that a case is being prepared against the illegal quarryers on charges of environmental and ecological destruction.

In this regard, Gowainghat Police Station Officer-in-Charge Sarkar Tofail Ahmed said, "Our police operation to stop illegal stone mining is continuing." Sylhet Deputy Commissioner Sher Mohammad Mahbub Murad said, "I have heard that there has been widespread looting at the stone quarry in Jaflong, the daughter of nature, since August 5, and the looting is still ongoing.

Cases have already been filed against those involved in the stone mining in their respective police stations and they will be brought to justice very soon. As a result of illegal stone mining in Jaflong, the natural environment is being destroyed, and ordinary people are losing their cropland and habitat. Recently, locals held a huge human chain and protest meeting in Jaflong under the banner of conscious civil society against the various irregularities and corruption of Md. Badrul Huda, Assistant Director of the Department of Environment, Sylhet.

At the protest meeting, Shah Alam Swapan, Md. Bablu Bakht, Md. Yasin Ali said that Badrul Huda, an associate of Awalig, the assistant director of the Department of Environment, has been extorting small amounts of money from Jaflong by threatening people with lawsuits and attacks since the past.