11 unauthorised brick kilns knocked down in Bagerhat

A mobile court demolished 11 unauthorised brick kilns in Bagerhat Sadar upazila on Thursday as part of an ongoing drive to curb illegal brick production and protect the environment.

The operation was led by Executive Magistrate Momtaz Begum from the Khulna Divisional Office of the Department of Environment (DoE). During the drive, authorities also stopped wood-fuel-based activities that were being used to operate the illegal kilns.

The initiative was carried out by Asadur Rahman, Deputy Director of the DoE’s Bagerhat district office, with assistance from district police, Sadar police station and members of the Fire Service.

When the mobile court team reached the Baburhat Bazar area of Bishnupur union, a group of brick kiln workers and local residents attempted to block the road by sitting and lying on it. They urged the authorities to delay the demolition until after Eid and requested two weeks to close the kilns themselves.

However, officials explained the legal penalties for running unauthorised brick kilns and highlighted the environmental damage caused by such operations. After discussions with the authorities, the protesters cleared the road and allowed the drive to continue.

The mobile court later used excavators to knock down the 11 illegal brick kilns.

Earlier, on March 11, another mobile court operation in the Santgachia and Baburhat Bazar areas of the upazila demolished seven illegal brick kilns and destroyed around 4 lakh raw bricks.

Deputy Director Asadur Rahman said the Department of Environment (DoE) will continue such drives to stop illegal brick production and protect the environment.

AM