Sand Looting in Sylhet Carried Out With Political Backing

Unregulated sand mining continues across Sylhet’s rivers and tourist zones, leaving behind devastated landscapes and threatening the ecological balance of the region.

Although many of these areas are not officially designated as balumahals (sand depots), dredgers are openly used to extract sand from Bawn Haor in Jaintiapur, which connects to the Piyain River. Similar extraction has been reported in the Khasi River (Jaintiapur and Gowainghat) and the Noljuri River in Gowainghat upazila.

After the fall of the Awami League government on 5 August 2024, local leaders of the BNP and its affiliated groups reportedly took control of sand depots, similar to what had earlier happened with the stone quarries. Names of former Awami League and Jamaat leaders also appear on the lists of those accused.

Tourist sites stripped of beauty

Uncontrolled sand extraction has scarred once-popular tourist spots like Sripur, Rangpani, Jaflong and Lalakhal. Locals recall that Sripur and Rangpani were once celebrated for their natural beauty, but years of indiscriminate stone mining followed by sand plundering have stripped the areas bare. Even though official leasing was suspended in 2020, illegal extraction has continued — now carried out openly rather than in secret.

Environmentalists warn that the depletion of rivers, hillsides and sand mounds has not only damaged tourist attractions but also disrupted the local ecology.

Syndicates and political consensus

Residents allege that syndicates backed by political leaders are orchestrating the looting. Once Awami League leaders controlled these businesses; now BNP leaders and their allies dominate, while Jamaat figures are also named.

Some of those accused, including BNP leader Abdul Ahad and Jamaat leader Nurul Islam, deny involvement, claiming the allegations are politically motivated. But locals insist that representatives of almost every major party are complicit.

Eyewitnesses report seeing hundreds of sand-laden boats operating along the Piyain and Borogang rivers, with bulkhead vessels and trucks transporting sand across the district. Although authorities have conducted occasional raids, residents say these drives are largely symbolic, with little long-term impact.

Huge economic loss, weak enforcement

District officials admit that Sylhet has 40 sand depots, of which 20 are leaseable and 15 currently under lease for about Tk 27 crore. Yet large-scale extraction also takes place outside of leased zones.

Unofficial estimates suggest that over the past year alone, sand worth Tk 60–70 crore has been plundered. The current wholesale market rate stands at around Tk 50 per cubic foot.

Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Sher Mahbub Murad, who was recently transferred, stated that joint forces have conducted drives that helped curb looting. Still, neither the administration nor any watchdog group could confirm the total volume of sand removed.

Environmental concerns

Environmental groups such as Dhoritri Rokkhay Amra (DHORA) Sylhet argue that the looting has continued because of weak legal enforcement. Abdul Karim Chowdhury, member-secretary of DHORA, said:

“After the government’s fall, sand plundering expanded alongside stone looting. We raised our voices, but the authorities failed to act effectively. Occasional drives are not enough — without strong legal measures, the looters will continue.”

With much of Sylhet’s natural beauty already lost to unchecked extraction, activists warn that urgent action is needed to prevent further destruction of riv

ers, tourist areas, and ecosystems.