Most brick kilns in six upazilas of Shariatpur district have been running without a valid licence or no licence for long, flouting environment laws.
Sources said a group of unscrupulous businessmen are running at least 48 brick fields in Goshairhat, Bhedarganj, Janjira, Naria, Damuddya and Sadar upazilas. Of them, 13 are running illegally and 10 have no licence permission from the Department of Environment.
The environment law prohibits use of wood – as alternative to gas and coal – in brick kilns. But, it is not being followed by any brick field owners in the district.
They have set up brick kilns illegally in residential areas and on agricultural land, causing serious health hazards and polluting the environment.
Farmer Jane Alam of Sadar upazila, said: “This year I have got only half the crop I have usually harvested earlier from my land.
“We have complained to the local administration in this regard, but no action has been taken so far.”
Another farmer Rahim Sarder said: “Production of wheat and rice has reduced radically in the last few years due to unplanned brickfields.”
The owners of these brick kilns are also using fire wood for burning bricks under the very nose of the law enforcers.
While visiting some brickfields in Haturia area under Gosairhat upazila, Atong, Monohar Bazar, Kotapara village under Sadar upazila and Berachaki, Narsinghpur under Bhedarganj upazila, Kazirhat and Bilashpur under Janjira upazila of the district, this correspondent found huge piles of wood in front of the brickfields.
Environmentalist Professor MA Aziz Miah said: “It is very alarming for us that brick field owners are using fruit-bearing, timber and medicinal trees as firewood in the kilns which may spell a disaster in near future.”
Some traders have built kilns 20 to 25 feet high, but according to the Brick Burning Act 1989, a kiln must be at least 120 feet high.
When asked about this, Abdus Salam, owner of National Brick Field in Goshairhat upazila said: “We will raise the height of the furnace by next year.”
Md Liakat Ali, former professor of chemistry at Shariatpur Government College, said: “Toxic gases like carbon monoxide, CFC and sulfur dioxide emitted from these burners are polluting the environment and also causing health hazards.”
Dr Rezaul Islam, joint secretary of Textiles and Jute Ministry and former agriculture extension officer of Sadar upazila, said: “Due to these unathorised bricklins, agriculture in the district is being seriously hampered.
“Land contains sufficient minerals, including boron, chlorine, cobalt, copper, iron, manganese, magnesium, molybdenum, sulphur, and zinc, for plant nutrition. But the land is gradually losing these minerals due the brickfields.”
When contacted, Deputy Commissioner Ram Chandra Das said: “We have often conducted drives against the lawbreakers and fined them.”