Judicial inquiry into hill cutting, stone extraction needed

Environmentalists yesterday demanded judicial investigation into hill cutting and stone extraction in Companiganj upazila of Sylhet.

The demand was placed at a human chain formed by Bangladesh Paribesh Andolon (Bapa), Sylhet chapter on the Central Shaheed Minar premises in the district.

The speakers alleged that a group of stone traders have been involved in such illegal practice by occupying government land for years.

They said the traders, who are backed by influential political parties, cannot be found out by any probe committee formed by the local administration or police.

So a judicial investigation is needed to find out the syndicate, they said.

Abdul Karim Kim, general secretary of Bapa Sylhet chapter, among others, addressed the programme.

The hillocks of Shah Arefin Tila in the upazila is being cut for over a decade.

On Monday, two stone workers were killed during a landslide at Matiar Tila, a part of Shah Arefin Tila, and two probe bodies were formed over the incident.

Even after that the stone traders were still cutting the hills by using such machine on the accident spot yesterday.