Some powerful groups defying restrictions on stone collection in Sylhet border areas

SYLHET, Nov 08: Companiganj, Gowainghat and Kanaighat upazilas along the border are known for stone and sand collection manually by labourers. But, after the high court imposed restriction on the indiscriminate extraction, the organised groups in a tricky way, started using mechanised tools using motors for stone and sand extraction.
Although several probe committees detected powerful groups with political links and lawmen's shelter had been doing it just for making illegal money at cost of poor people's lives, things couldn't be contained as yet.
In a latest incident on Tuesday five minor boys met their tragic death as they were allured and taken there by a group.
With the abnormal rise of indiscriminate extraction on almost all the places, the number of deaths due to landslides on the sites has gone up, raising questions over the situation as a whole. Poor and innocent labourers become the victims while the masterminds earn money, but remain behind the screen, enjoying the administrative support.
A number of locals said the administration as well the leading people failed to bring the situation under control due to the unabated use of mechanised tools locally called 'Boma machine'. Using Boma machines were declared illegal by a high court bench in 2009.
Sources informed about 150 deaths took place due to the landslide incidents of stone and sand quarry locations in the districts only in two decades. These include, Jafflong, Bholaganj, Bisnakandi, Utmachhara, Lobhachhara etc.
Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers' Association (BELA), Sylhet divisional coordinator, Shah Shaheda said often drives are launched against the illegal stone collectors by the Environment officials along with the executive magistrate and the lawmen, but they resume same thing soon after. Even a huge number of tools including over a thousand 'Boma machines' were destroyed during the drives in recent years, she added. Besides, serious environmental degradation is also caused by such acts, he added.
A number of experts said extraction of stones through digging about 10 feet is very much risky whereas the organised groups compel the poor labourers to dig even 30 to 40 feet due to their greed.
The probe committees, one of the district administration and the other by the police after the landslide in January identified at least 47 persons who ran the illegal stone quarry at Sharpin Tila. These were formed after five labourers were killed in the incident. But only the UNO and the OC were transferred immediately.

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