The High Court has barred the relocation and transportation of all types of stones from the Lovachhara stone quarry in Kanaighat, Sylhet, near the border. The order will remain in effect until the full hearing of the case is completed.
Kanaighat Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Tania Akter said on Tuesday that the Bangladesh Mineral Resources Development Bureau (BMD) had informed the local administration of the order through a letter.
Records showed that in 2020, the Department of Environment seized 10.4 million cubic feet of stones from the Lovachhara quarry. Following legal procedures, BMD sold 4.4 million cubic feet of the seized stones through auction to Pias Enterprise. The company was initially given 45 days to transport the auctioned stones, which was later extended by another month. However, taking advantage of the ongoing case, the lessee’s personnel reportedly looted the remaining 6.1 million cubic feet of stones.
In response, Kamrul Hasan Chowdhury, owner of Pias Enterprise and office secretary of Sylhet Metropolitan Chhatra Dal, filed a writ petition in the High Court.
After hearing the case on Tuesday, the High Court, acting on BMD’s application, ordered a halt on the relocation and transportation of all stones from the quarry.
