Dhaka: The government has decided to suspend the leasing process for 17 out of 51 stone quarries nationwide due to environmental concerns. This decision was reached during a meeting at the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources, chaired by Adviser Muhammad Faozul Kabir Khan.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the meeting stipulated that no leases would be granted for quarries under court injunctions or located within declared Ecologically Critical Areas (ECA). Environment, Forest and Climate Change Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan and Home Adviser Lieutenant General (Retd.) Md. Jahangir Alam Chowdhury were also present at the meeting.
Furthermore, to preserve natural beauty, the leasing activities in the Bhulagonj, Utmachaora, Ratanpur, Bichanakandi, and Lovachora stone quarries in Sylhet district will remain suspended. It was also decided that obtaining an Environmental Clearance Certificate from the Department of Environment will be mandatory before approving leases for other quarries.
Local administrations have been instructed to take legal action against those involved in illegal stone extraction, specifically targeting those responsible rather than the workers. Additionally, illegally extracted stones will not be sold but will be supplied for government construction works through customs.
The Environment Adviser expressed gratitude to the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources and proposed adopting a similar policy to regulate unregulated sand extraction. She highlighted that such measures would protect the environment and public interest by ensuring the lawful use of natural resources like sand and stones.
The adviser also noted that supplying illegally extracted stones through customs for government use would help curb illegal extraction. She emphasized that the Department of Environment is now better equipped to protect the environment and ecosystems, having overcome previous limitations.
Previously, on 18 February 2020, the Energy and Mineral Resources Division had suspended stone extraction from all stone quarries until further notice. However, on 13 January 2025, a decision to lift the suspension was made, which raised concerns from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, leading to the new decisions made in today's meeting, as stated in a press release by the environment ministry.
The meeting was attended by the Secretary of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Dr. Farhina Ahmed, Secretary of the Energy and Mineral Resources Division Mohammad Saiful Islam, Divisional Commissioner of Sylhet Division, and Deputy Commissioner of Sylhet District, along with representatives from various ministries and organizations.