Main Suspect Behind White Stone Loot; Sahab Uddin, Finally Arrested

ছবিঃ সংগৃহীত

News Desk: Sahab Uddin, the key figure behind the looting of Sylhet’s top tourist spot, Bholaganj White Stone, has finally been arrested.

Over the past year, Bholaganj has been repeatedly targeted in looting incidents. Sahab Uddin, the former vice president of Sylhet district BNP and president of Companyganj Upazila BNP, had been heavily criticized for his involvement from the very beginning. Following mounting scrutiny, BNP suspended all his party positions, after which he went into hiding.

On Saturday night, RAB arrested him from the Kumarpara area of Sylhet city. The arrest was confirmed by Additional Superintendent of Police (Media Officer) KM Shahidul Islam Sohag of RAB-9. Sahab Uddin faces seven cases registered at Companyganj and Kotwali police stations. After his arrest, he was handed over to Kotwali police station.

According to a RAB-9 press release, based on secret intelligence, a raid was conducted at around 11:15 PM in Kumarpara. Sahab Uddin, who had been evading capture for a long time, was present in the area. The RAB team apprehended him during the operation. In addition to the infamous white stone looting case, he is implicated in seven other cases. Due to his involvement, all his party positions were suspended, and his name appeared in the Anti-Corruption Commission’s preliminary investigation into the looting.

Earlier, on August 11, a notice signed by BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi suspended all of Sahab Uddin’s party positions, citing involvement in extortion, land grabbing, and other activities contrary to BNP’s principles and ideology. The suspension remains in effect until further instructions.

Sahab Uddin’s controversial career began in the 1980s as a timber trader. He later became involved in smuggling Indian goods and gold, seized hundreds of acres of government khas land, and amassed significant wealth. He eventually rose as a political and business leader. On August 5 of last year, following a change of land ownership, numerous constructions in Bholaganj—including the land port, ropeway bunker, and police outposts—were reportedly looted and vandalized, with Sahab Uddin implicated in these incidents.