The High Court has asked the authorities concerned to close all the illegal brick kilns in Brahmanbaria district.
The higher court has also issued a rule asking why the inaction of the authorities concerned to close 99 illegal brick kilns in nine upazilas of the district would not be declared illegal. The authorities concerned were asked to explain in a week.
The High Court bench of Justice Md Ashfaqul Islam and Justice Mohi Uddin Shamim issued the order and the rule on Sunday following a writ petition.
Supreme Court lawyer AQM Sohail Rana filed the writ petition as a public interest litigation based on newspaper reports.
Secretary to Environment, Forest and Climate Change Ministry, Director General (DG) and Deputy Director of Department of Environment (DoE) and Deputy Commissioner (DC) and Superintendent of Police (SP) of Brahmanbaria were made respondents to the rule.
AQM Sohail Rana said that the 99 brick kilns are operating in nine upazilas of Brahmanbaria district, violating laws. A report in this regard was published in a national English daily. The writ petition was filed in the High Court by attaching the report.
He said following the report legal notice was sent to the authorities concerned to take necessary steps to stop the illegally operated brick kilns. The writ petition was filed as the authorities concerned did not respond to the notice.
It was reported that these 99 brick kilns are posing serious threats to the environment and public health.
The brick kilns were set up beside marketplaces, croplands, educational institutions, orchards, and other establishments. Paddy and other crops and seasonal fruits are being damaged due to the emission from the brick kilns.
The local administration and the Department of Environment (DoE) have yet to take any measures against the illegal brick kilns.
According to the DoE’s Brahmanbaria office, there are 181 brick kilns in nine upazilas of Brahmanbaria district. Of them, 82 have clearance from DoE, while the rest are running without licence. Thirty brick kilns are now shut or abandoned for various reasons.
However, the actual number of brick kilns is higher than the list.
According to the Brick Making and Kiln Installation (Control) Act, no brick kiln can be operated without clearance from the DoE. If the rule is violated, a provision of two years’ imprisonment is there.
Environmentalists alleged that many brick kilns have been operating in Brahmanbaria and other places of the country, defying laws. The local administration and the DoE failed to demolish the brick kilns.
The HC bench last week summoned the DoE DG and five deputy commissioners for their failure to comply with an order to demolish illegal brick kilns in Dhaka, Manikganj, Munshiganj, Narsingdi and Narayanganj. They were asked to appear before court on May17 to explain their failure.
