A mobile court fined two illegal brick kiln owners a total of Tk 4.5 lakh on Saturday for destroying agricultural land by cutting topsoil to manufacture bricks. The authorities also destroyed a massive batch of raw bricks during the drive.
The joint operation, conducted by the district administration and the Department of Environment (DoE), targeted illegal brick kilns in Daulatkhan and Lalmohan upazilas from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
Md. Tota Mia, Assistant Director of Bhola DoE, said Shahe Alam, owner of Messrs. Meghna Green Bricks in the Middle Joynagar area of Daulatkhan, was fined Tk 2.5 lakh. His unbaked bricks were simultaneously drenched with water and destroyed.
In a separate raid for the same offense, Md. Jahangir Alam, owner of Messrs. Md. Yusuf Bricks in the Gazaria Khalgora area of Lalmohan, was fined Tk 2 lakh.
Executive Magistrates Md. Abu Raihan and Md. Ashraful Alam led the mobile court, while the DoE's Md. Tota Mia served as the prosecutor.
Personnel from the Bangladesh Navy, Coast Guard, Police, and Fire Service provided security and logistics during the day-long crackdown.
