Sylhet police officer withdrawn over allegations of facilitating illegal stone extraction
Photo Collected
Officer-in-Charge Shafiqul Islam Khan of the Companiganj Police Station in Sylhet has been reassigned to the district police lines following allegations of corruption and misconduct. The transfer order, issued Thursday by Sylhet Superintendent of Police Chowdhury Md. Jaber Sadek, comes amid growing scrutiny over the officer’s alleged involvement in illicit activities within the region.
Local reports indicate that Officer Khan faced persistent accusations of facilitating illegal stone extraction from local quarries and supporting smuggling operations in exchange for bribes. Further allegations against him include involvement in extortion rackets. While the officer could not be reached for comment despite multiple attempts to contact him via telephone, Superintendent Sadek confirmed the administrative action to the national newspaper *Prothom Alo*.
According to the Superintendent, specific grievances have been filed against the officer, necessitating the formation of an investigative committee to probe the claims. The findings of this inquiry will dictate future disciplinary measures. As of Thursday night, no successor had been named to lead the Companiganj station.
The reassignment follows a detailed investigative report published in *Prothom Alo* on April 6, which highlighted the environmental degradation of the Shah Arefin hill region. The report alleged that Officer Khan played an active role in facilitating the illegal transport of quarried stone. Witnesses claimed that a clandestine operation, referred to locally as the “OC Line,” allowed for the nightly transit of stone from protected areas to the Bhola region, allegedly managed through direct coordination between illegal operators and the police station leadership.
0%
0%
0%
0%
