Heavy upstream floods from Meghalaya’s mountains this monsoon brought fresh stone deposits, which then became a target for relentless extraction.
In just a matter of weeks, illegal stone extraction has transformed this scenic paradise into a wasteland scarred by deep pits and dust.
This brutal plunder began soon after the political upheaval of 5 August 2024, when law enforcement weakened and chaos took hold.
Though a short-lived crackdown by authorities and the military briefly halted the pillaging, the floodgates opened again late last month.
Residents and environmentalists are raising urgent alarms as the swift and severe nature of the destruction has left the community stunned, threatening the future of tourism in the region.
From paradise to ruin
Sada Pathor, located in West Islampur Union along the Bangladesh-India border, lies opposite Meghalaya’s famous Cherrapunji and Lailong Punji hills.
For decades, monsoon floods carried stones and sand downstream to this area, creating its signature scenic riverbed.
Following record floods in 2017 that deposited massive stone layers, the site was officially protected and quickly grew into a popular tourist destination.
Visitors flocked here to witness the breathtaking mountains and crystal-clear waters framed by white stones.
Heavy upstream floods from Meghalaya’s mountains this monsoon brought fresh stone deposits, which then became a target for relentless extraction.
Since then, hundreds of boats have been ferrying away stones every day, brazenly passing security checkpoints without interruption. What remains is a haunting landscape of gaping holes and lifeless dust.
“I told my visiting relatives they would see the mountains, the river, and countless beautiful stones,” shared local youth organiser Ehsanul Haque Taher.
“But when they returned, they said it felt like a war-torn land, pits everywhere, like bunkers left from battle.”
Environmental group ‘Dhoritri Rokkhay Amra’ estimates that over the past year, unchecked plunder has devastated both Sada Pathor and nearby Jaflong, removing stones valued in the thousands of crores of taka.
“Sada Pathor is now an empty sandbank,” said Abdul Karim Kim, general secretary of the group. “The pits left behind are death traps.”
“Over the past year, the interim government has utterly failed to protect Sylhet’s natural treasures,” he added with deep regret.
“The Ministry of Minerals and Environment must answer for this. The very adviser who once fought to stop stone looting has seen this destruction happen on her watch.”
Complicity and cover-up: the dark side of Sada Pathor’s destruction
Allegations have surfaced accusing leaders and activists from the BNP of involvement in the stone-throwing. In response, the Companiganj upazila BNP president was suspended on Monday night.
Yet despite the severity of the crime and accusations, no official administrative action has been taken against any individuals.
Worse still, there are troubling reports that some within the administration have profited from this destruction.
Videos circulating online show Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and police officers allegedly collecting tolls from those transporting stolen stone.
Sylhet BNP president Abdul Qayum Chowdhury stated, “Whenever we receive credible complaints, we act. We have already suspended one and formed a three-member inquiry committee to investigate further.”
The illegal extraction extends far beyond Sada Pathor, threatening nearby sites such as the railway ropeway bunker, Dhalai Bridge, and Shah Arefin Tila, putting critical infrastructure at risk.
Resident Koyes Ahmed expressed his frustration: “The BGB camp is right next to the site. They could stop these illegal activities at any time, but they don’t.”
The Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (BELA) has been fighting a legal battle for years to stop this plunder. BELA Sylhet coordinator Shah Shaheda Akter condemned the administration’s role: “Either they are neglecting their duty or silently supporting this plunder.”
Administrative inertia amid environmental crisis
While the Department of Environment has filed several cases against stone theft in Jaflong, it has taken no legal action regarding Sada Pathor.
Director Md Ferdous Anwar explained that legal steps are limited because Sada Pathor is not officially classified as an Ecologically Critical Area (ECA), though they are supporting local authorities.
Sylhet Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Sher Mahbub Murad admitted, “Stone extraction is banned from all quarries, including Sada Pathor. We conduct regular drives, but the looting continues unabated.”
Conservationists warn that the loss of Sada Pathor’s stone beds has destroyed more than just a tourist attraction; it has severely disrupted the natural river ecosystem.
The deep pits are dangerous for visitors and locals alike, while unchecked sand removal accelerates soil erosion, threatening the wider environment.
What was once a postcard-perfect gateway to Sylhet’s natural beauty now stands as a chilling example of Bangladesh’s environmental governance failure, where greed, political complicity, and administrative inertia have erased a natural wonder in less than a month.
