Despite the High Court's order to close 58 illegal unlicensed brick yard in Ramgati and Kamalnagar, Lakshmipur, the yard owners are starting the process of opening a few brick factories in Ramgati Upazila, defying the order. So far, cases have been filed against 23 illegal brick yards, 4 cases are pending, and 2 cases have been filed for violating license conditions.
A field visit showed that in the Sufirhat Bazar area of Ramgati Upazila, the owners of about 20 to 25 yards, including Meghna-1, Meghna-2 of the Brick yard Owners Association, President Khalilur Rahman, Nurul Islam Bricks of Faruk Hossain, Satta Bricks of Mosleh Uddin Kajal in the Charneyamat area, Trisha-1, Trisha-2 of the Association, Rafiq Company's Rafiq-1, Rafiq-2, Medina Bricks, and Wahab Bricks of Md. Hannan in the Hajiganj area, some are preparing soil for making bricks, making raw bricks, preparing yards for burning bricks, starting construction of new yards, and some are renovating old yards. None of these yards have permission.
They are continuing to work illegally in any way they can, regardless of the laws and regulations. Although the upazila administration has already issued a warning miking order to prevent unauthorized brick yards from operating in compliance with the High Court order, no one has complied with this instruction.
Incidentally, in 2024, Advocate Salah Uddin Dolan sought an order to close 48 illegal brick yards in Ramgati Upazila of Lakshmipur and 10 in Kamalnagar Upazila in the High Court. In this context, on March 4 this year, a bench of Justices Fahmid Quader and Mubina Asaf ordered the closure of the illegal brick yards. Advocate Salah Uddin Dolan, who was representing the writ petition in the High Court, confirmed the matter.
According to sources from the Lakshmipur Environment Department, out of 53 illegal brick yards in Ramgati, 4 have permits. Out of these, the licenses of Chalekh-1 and Janani brick yards have been suspended for violating the conditions, and a case has been filed. Similarly, there are 13 illegal brick yards in Kamalnagar Upazila, 5 of which have permits.
Ramgati Upazila Brickyard Owners Association President Khalilur Rahman said that those who are starting illegal brick yards in violation of the court order will bear the responsibility.
Assistant Director of the Laxmipur Environment Department Harun Or Rashid Pathan said that cases have already been filed against 23 illegal brick yards and cases are under process against 4. The licenses of 2 have been suspended and cases have been filed for not complying with the conditions. If anyone starts a brick kiln illegally this year, like every year, a case will be filed and the campaign will continue.
Meanwhile, Syeda Rizwana Hasan, Advisor on Environment, Forest and Climate Change, has expressed her anger, demanding to know how 36 brick yards in the Char Afzal area of Char Ramiz Uni in Ramgati got clearance. She expressed her anger at the inauguration of the Bangladesh National Air Quality Management Plan 2024-30 at the Environment Department in Dhaka on December 5.
At the event, he said, "The Department of Environment will have to answer for how they issued clearances for 36 brick yards in one village."
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