A large number of illegal brick kilns have mushroomed in different upazilas of Narayanganj district, posing serious threats to the climate, agricultural land, and public health in the area.
According to the Department of Environment (DoE) of the district, as many as 254 unauthorized brick kilns were set up in five upazilas, namely Rupganj, Bandar, Sonargaon, Araihazar and Sadar upazilas in the district.
A total of 219 illegal brick kilns have been established in Rupganj and Sadar upazilas alone, while the rest of the brick kilns are in the other three upazilas.
Locals said a number of influential people are operating this unethical business, taking soil from the arable land and reducing the fertility. The brick kilns use substandard chimneys which release toxic black smoke, which pollutes the environment, contributing to acute respiratory problems of residents of surrounding areas.
Wishing anonymity, several farmers of Sadipur Borobari village of Sonargaon upazila said a gang of soil traders are extracting soil from agricultural land and selling it to the owners of the brick kilns.
They added that they have reported these unethical practices to the concerned authorities and lodged several complaints, but their efforts were in vain as the authorities have disregarded these complaints for a long time now.
When contacted, Sonargaon Upazila Nirbahi Officer(UNO) Rokibur Rahman Khan said: "We have received complaints that a group of people are forcibly extracting soil from the farmers’ cropland. We will take action against those responsible for the illegal activity within one or two days."
Kazi Habibur Rahman, officer of Narayanganj Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), said: "Topsoil preserves the fertility of cropland; if it is cut, the land loses fertility, thereby immensely affecting the yielding capacity."
Nuruzzaman, resident of Dasergaon village of Muchapur union of Sonargaon upazila, said the black smoke of the brick kilns is causing them severe breathing difficulties, severe cough and chest pain.
Narayanganj Civil Surgeon Dr Imtiaz Ahmed said: "Air pollution affects the respiratory organs the most. It has a detrimental effect on pregnant women and children, an unborn child can even die due to the problem."
Boktabari-Enayetnagar Brick Kilns Owners' Association President Shawkat Ali said: "There are 50 brick kilns in the Boktabari-Enayetnagar of Narayanganj Sadar upazila. 20 to 25 brick kilns are operating illegally, while some of them are trying to obtain licenses."
Deputy Director of Narayanganj Department of Environment (DoE) Sayed Anwar said: "The brick kilns were set up in the district without permission of the DoE. We are conducting drives against the illegal brick kilns to put an end to environmental pollution."
However, as of the filing of this report, only 25 illegal brick kilns were shut down in the district after the High Court on 26 November ordered the government to conduct mobile court drives to shut down the illegal brick kilns in five districts - including Dhaka, Narayanganj, Gazipur, Munshiganj, and Manikganj - within 15 days.
Additional District Magistrate of Narayanganj Khadija Tahera Bobi confirmed: "We are currently conducting drives close down the illegal brick kilns."
