The government on Sunday suspended the leasing process of 17 out of 51 stone quarries in the country considering the environmental concerns. Report UNB
This decision was taken at a meeting held at the conference room of the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources chaired by Adviser Muhammad Faozul Kabir Khan.
The leasing process of stone quarries in Bholaganj, Utmachaora, Ratanpur, Bichanakandi, and Lovachora stone quarries of Sylhet will remain suspended.
Adviser Lt Gen (Retd.) Md. Jahangir Alam Chowdhury and Environment Syeda Rizwana Hasan were also present.
The meeting further decided that before granting leases for other quarries obtaining an Environmental Clearance Certificate from the Department of Environment will be mandatory.
Local administrations have been directed to take legal action against people involved in illegal stone extraction business rather than targeting the workers.
Besides, illegally extracted stones must not be sold; instead, they will be supplied for government construction works through customs.
On 18 February 2020, the Energy and Mineral Resources Division of the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources had suspended stone extraction from all stone quarries until further notice.
Later, on 13 January 2025, a decision was made to lift the suspension, which raised concerns from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
