Sunday | 12 January 2025 | Reg No- 06
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Sunday | 12 January 2025 | Epaper

Unlicensed brickfields damaging crops in Shariatpur

Published : Saturday, 30 December, 2017 at 12:00 AM  Count : 301
Abul Bashar
SHARIATPUR, Dec 29: The farmers of the district alleged that the local unlicensed brickfields have been damaging crops on the vast tracts as the kilns are burning wood for producing bricks.
The owners of the brickfields said they have to burn woods for producing bricks.
It is learnt that most of the owners of the brick kilns in six upazilas here have been doing business illegally for a long time.
Sources said there are 52 brick kilns in the district, and most of them have no valid licence or environmental certificate.
The owners of these kilns are using firewood for burning bricks under the very nose of the law enforcers ignoring environment rules. Besides, they have set up their brick kilns illegally at residential areas and on agricultural lands causing serious health hazards, damaging crops and polluting environment.
The owners are allegedly cutting different fruit bearing, wooden and medicinal trees to collect firewood for burning bricks.
There are some brickfields at Haturia Village under Gosairhat Upazila, Berachaki and Char Census under Bhedarganj Upazila, Kartikpur under Naria Upazila, Kazirhat under Janjira Upazila and Samontosar under Gosairhat Upazila.
The brickfields were set up on agricultural lands and do not have government approved 120-foot fixed kilns.
The brickfields are damaging agri-products in these areas, some local farmers said. One Titu Dalal of Charpayatali Village under Bhedarganj Upazila filed a case against a brickfield as it was established on an arable land at the same village, and damaged crops. Despite the court order to stop the brickfield, the owner is still burning bricks.  
Anwar Bala, Mohsin Miah and Shahid Dhali of Haturia Village under Gosairhat Upazila said after the brick kilns were in their village, they could not produce sufficient crops.
Farmers- Md Jobed Ali, Motaleb Miah, Anwar Bala and Siraz Miah of Berachaki Village under Bhedarganj Upazila alleged that they got half the total crops from the lands last year after installation of the brickfields on agricultural lands.
They complained it to the local administration but no action has yet been taken against the illegal brickfield owners.
According to Section-5 of the Brick Burning Act-1989, no license would be given if a brickfield is set up within three kilometres of a residential area.
It is also mentioned in the Act that the brickfield owners can use at least 120-foot fixed kiln for burning bricks. But most of the brickfield owners in the district are violating the rules.
The RKB brickfield at Samontosar Village and another at Haturia Village in Gosairhat Upazila started to burn bricks by setting up only 20- to 25-foot fixed kilns which were made with tin.
The owners of the brickfields told this correspondent that they will build 120-feet fixed kilns in next year.
The brick kiln owners in collaboration with a section of dishonest officials are running their business without valid licence.
While visiting some brickfields at Haturia Village in Gosairhat Upazila, Atong, Monohar Bazaar and Kotapara villages under Sadar Upazila, Berachaki and Narsinghapur under Bhedarganj Upazila, and Kazirhat and Bilashpur under Janjira Upazila, this correspondent saw huge wood was stockpiled in front of the brickfields to be used for burning raw bricks.
District administration sources said there are 52 brickfields in six upazilas of the district and most do not have valid licences for running the business.
The sources further said these illegal brickfield owners are yet to submit any applications to the district administration for license though they have been running their brick kilns for the last 15 to 20 years.
A noted environmentalist Professor M A Aziz Miah of Dhanuka area in Shariatpur town told this correspondent that at least 25 per cent of forest resources are needed to maintain environmental balance, but the use of wood in the brickfields has decreased the forest resources to 8 to 10   per cent on an average in the district.
Professor of Chemistry at M A Reza Government Degree College Jiten Chandra Das said carbon monoxide, chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) and sulphur-dioxide created by burning bricks are toxic and dangerous for the environment and even for human life.
Deputy Commissioner of Shariatpur Md. Mahmudul Hossain Khan told journalists that the district administration would take steps against the unlicensed brickfields if found guilty by inquiry.






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