Bholaganj: Sensing that their livelihoods will face dire situations due to the lack of tourists if the white stones disappear from Sada Pathor of Bholaganj, local people and traders are firmly committed to protecting the popular tourist spot from stone looters. “There are about 360 small traders in the Sada Pathor area. Our families depend on tourism. If tourists do not come, our livelihoods will fall in peril,” Javed Ahmed Mirza, vice president of Bholaganj Sada Pathor Small Traders Cooperatives Society, told BSS.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, when miscreants looted stones from Sada Pathor, locals tried to resist the looters. “The stone looters were organised and they looted stones during nighttime,” Mirza said. “Now we are committed more to protecting the tourist spot. We seek more cooperation from the administration,” he added.
Photographer Amir Hamza, whose livelihood depends on tourists, emphasized the importance of protecting the area. He stated that if the small traders and photographers did not come forward to resist the stone looters, all the stones would disappear from Sada Pathor. “Of course, we must protect our workplace; otherwise, we will lose our livelihood,” he said. Habibur Rahman, another photographer, pointed out that there are over 100 photographers in the Sada Pathor tourist spot and noted that after looting stones, fewer tourists are visiting the area.
Boatsman Ruhel mentioned that, on average, around 200 boats carrying tourists operate to Sada Pathor per day, with the number significantly increasing during weekends. In response to the ongoing stone looting issue, a five-member committee from the Cabinet Division, led by Secretary (Coordination and Reforms) Zaheda Parveen, visited the Bholaganj Sada Pathor tourist spot. The committee was formed to probe the stone looting and is expected to submit its report within 10 working days.
The district administration reported that out of the 25 lakh cubic feet of stone looted so far, 600,000 cubic feet have been recovered and replaced on the spot. Another 700,000 cubic feet of stone have been prepared at Ghat No 10 in Bholaganj and will be replaced at Sada Pathor in the next phase.
Bholaganj Sada Pathor, located in the Companiganj Upazila and near East Khasi Hills district of Meghalaya, India, is renowned for its beautiful stones, crystal clear water, and green mountains. Visitors often enjoy swimming or simply soaking their feet in the cool water. However, recent widespread stone looting has negatively impacted the site, frustrating tourists like Asaduzzaman from Naraingdi.
In the afternoon, Sylhet Deputy Commissioner Md Sarwar Alam and Police Super Muhammad Mahbubur Rahman also visited the Sada Pathor area as the district administration’s deadline to return stolen stones ended this evening.