Officials have seized over 130 trucks carrying white stones illegally extracted from the Sada Pathor area of Companiganj, Sylhet, on Thursday.
Mahbub Murad, deputy commissioner of Sylhet, told this to reporters, adding that by Wednesday evening, 12,500 cubic feet of stones had been returned to Sada Pathor, a tourist attraction known for its round white stones and a stream.
The stones from these trucks will also be brought back to the site, he told reporters, adding that the process was time-consuming.
"To ensure no one can cause such irreparable damage again, legal actions have been initiated against those involved in this racket," he said.
The administration had requested all truckers and boatmen not to carry stolen stones in the future, he said.
"We will set a specific deadline, and if they continue to do this, we will take legal action."
The authorities are currently figuring out how much had been stolen from the site and will take legal action afterwards, he added.
He then urged tourists to keep visiting the "tourist-friendly" area.
The stolen stones had been on headlines for the last few days following reports that part of the scenic area began to resemble a wasteland.
Meanwhile, on Thursday morning, police arrested Alomgir Alam, the chairman of Purba Islampur Union Parishad in Companiganj, Sylhet in a case related to sand and stone theft.
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