In a move to safeguard the environment, the government has decided to suspend the leasing process for 17 out of Bangladesh’s 51 stone quarries.
No leases will be granted for quarries currently under court injunctions or located within designated Ecologically Critical Areas (ECA). Additionally, to preserve natural beauty, leasing activities at Bhulagonj, Utmachaora, Ratanpur, Bichanakandi, and Lovachora stone quarries in Sylhet district will also remain suspended.
The decision was made today, 27 April 2025, during a meeting held at the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources, chaired by Advisor Muhammad Faozul Kabir Khan. Environment, Forest and Climate Change Advisor Syeda Rizwana Hasan and Home Affairs Advisor Lieutenant General (Retd.) Md. Jahangir Alam Chowdhury were also present.
The meeting further decided that securing an Environmental Clearance Certificate from the Department of Environment will be mandatory before granting leases for any other quarries.
Local administrations have been instructed to take legal action against those actually responsible for illegal stone extraction, rather than targeting workers. Additionally, illegally extracted stones must not be sold commercially but will instead be supplied for government construction projects through customs channels.
Environment Advisor Syeda Rizwana Hasan thanked the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources for its efforts and suggested adopting a similar policy to control unregulated sand extraction. She emphasized that such steps would protect both the environment and the public interest, ensuring the lawful use of natural resources like sand and stones. She also noted that channeling illegally extracted stones through government use would help curb illegal extraction activities.
The Advisor added that the Department of Environment is now better equipped than before to take strong measures to protect ecosystems and ensure environmental compliance.
It is worth noting that on 18 February 2020, the Energy and Mineral Resources Division had suspended stone extraction activities nationwide until further notice. Although a decision was made on 13 January 2025 to lift the suspension, it raised concerns within the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
The meeting was attended by Dr. Farhina Ahmed, Secretary of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change; Mohammad Saiful Islam, Secretary of the Energy and Mineral Resources Division; the Divisional Commissioner of Sylhet; the Deputy Commissioner of Sylhet District; and representatives from various ministries and organisations.