White stone's new hope

Hill-stone-water. Such natural beauty has been seen together only in Bichnakandi of Sylhet. There is a huge ‘bed’ made of stone. Thanks to the first hill slope of this season, another such ‘bed’ has been made.

The place is the new tourist center of Sylhet 'White Stone' area. New piles of stones have become visible over an area of ​​about 10 acres as the floating stones have been preserved. The upazila administration has banned travel in the area to keep the newly deposited stones safe. Besides, two outposts of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) have kept the whole area under special surveillance. The local administration as well as the tourism-related people there hope that the new tourist center will show the way to additional income if the coronation period is cut.

‘White Stone’ is an area next to Bholaganj Stone Quarry in Companiganj Upazila on the Bangladesh-India border. Location near the zero line of the border. In 2016, the first stone was deposited on the hillside. The stones were preserved by the then UNO Mohammad Abul Laish of Companiganj. An illustrated report titled 'Dhalaimukhe Abar Jamal Dhalasona' was published in Prothom Alo on September 29, 2016. Since then, the area has become known as the 'White Stone' tourist destination.

After Bichnakandi, a hill-river-stone-centric natural tourist destination in Sylhet, the white stone area has become a new attraction for tourists. A special bus service called 'Sada Pathar Paribahan' was also launched on December 15 last year to cater to a large number of tourists. It was the first initiative to launch a tourist transport in the Sylhet region. Every day 10,000 tourists walk there. More than two hundred boats ply the white stone area from the Dhalai river ghat. Tourists have been barred from traveling to Corona.

Companiganj Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Sumon Acharya said the hill slope had come down due to heavy rains for three consecutive days from May 28. One day after the rain stopped, news came that new stones had accumulated in the white stone area. On the same day, a team of inspectors was sent to identify the new piles of stones.

Kompaniganj Land Development Officer Sujan Saha has made a preliminary measurement of the site. He said that stones do not accumulate in the hills every year. Residents in the surrounding area say the first rock was deposited there in 1990. All the stones were looted that year. When stones were deposited in 2016 with a long break, the locals demanded to stop the looting. After conservation, the area has become a tourist destination. This time, after the stones were deposited in the third phase, new stones became visible under the immediate supervision of the administration.

Now tourists stop going

Tourists have been barred from visiting the white stone like other tourist attractions in Sylhet since March 25 due to coronavirus infection. The whole area without tourists since then. It is strictly forbidden to travel to preserve new stones. From the Dhalai river ghat to the white stone area now only BGB members travel. We went there on June 30 with the permission of the local administration.

About 25 minutes by boat from Dhalai river ghat. The boatmen used to start fighting when they saw a stranger at that wharf. There is no one there now. Only one boat on the dock. The boatman Tajmul Ali is sitting alone. This is the first time in the last two months that he has sailed on a white stone. A boat alone, sailing. White stone nearby in 15 minutes. More new stones were seen on the other side of the green hill.

From a distance, the rocks looked like aquatic animals. One pile shaped stone after another. The BGB members of the outpost showed the new stone ‘bed’. Another layer of stone has been deposited on the five acres of land which was earlier. The water at the source of the river is like an arrow with stones on both sides. Bangladesh on one side and India on the other. If you want to travel, you just have to stay here. Swimming is marked with poles on both sides so that the boundaries are not crossed.

New tourist destination in Sylhet

A new pile of rocks has appeared over an area of ​​about 10 acres

The new place where the stone is accumulated, it looks tall. The whole of Bangladesh is part of it. Local UP chairman Shah Mohammad Jamal Uddin said the rock layer was about five feet deep. According to him, the range of tourist area will be one and a half times bigger if new stones can be preserved. Then the people who come to visit will go swimming and will be saved from unintended accidents.

Part of the source of the Dhalai River is on the Indian border. There is a waterfall coming down from the folds of a few hills. This waterfall is the source of the river. When it rains heavily in the mountains, it is called a slope. Stones come down from the upper reaches with the water of the slope. The slope is every year, but why the stone comes with a break? Hearing such a question, a member of the BGB took me to the zero line and showed me the scene of cutting the road on the other side and picking up stones everywhere.

While watching this view of the mountain far from the plain, the surroundings suddenly trembled with a loud noise. The BGB member also got an example by coincidence. He said that this is how the explosion took place in the mountains to pick up stones in Lunglangpunji. If this work is more in the rainy season, the amount of rocks coming down the hill also increases. On the other hand, as there were more explosions this time, more stones came with the slope.

Boats specially equipped for the use of tourists are kept on shore next to the BGB outpost house. Rusted due to being unused. BGB members also hope that if the situation is normal, tourist travel will be more than before. In this hope, the boatman looked very excited. Throughout the proverb, Tajmmul said, ‘Patience bears fruit. I remember the fruit of our patience