Azad, Lakshmipur Correspondent : Last year, the High Court issued directives to close illegal brick kilns. However, neither the Department of Environment nor the Upazila administration have been able to implement this order. In fact, two additional brick kilns have been set up in the area this year.

According to the Department of Environment, there were 40 brick kilns in Ramgati in 2023. This number has now increased to 49 in 2024, and with the addition of two more, there are currently 51 brick kilns in the Upazila. Of these, 40 are located in the Char Romij Union of Ramgati.

Local residents have expressed frustration, accusing the administration of only carrying out symbolic crackdowns on these illegal kilns. Despite these efforts, no kiln has been permanently shut down, and after short-term fines, the kilns resume their activities. Effective crackdowns would deter owners from setting up illegal brick kilns, but such measures have yet to be enforced.

Farmer Mainuddin from Char Afjal village explained, “In the past, this area was full of paddy fields and vegetable farms. Now, it’s all brick kilns. The removal of soil from the fields has drastically reduced agricultural production.”

The Brick Manufacturing and Kiln Installation (Regulation) Act prohibits the establishment of brick kilns near populated areas, agricultural land, and hills. The law also forbids the extraction of soil from agricultural lands for brick-making. Under Section 5 (1) of this law, violations can lead to a maximum sentence of two years in prison, a fine of 200,000 BDT, or both. However, these laws are mostly ignored by kiln owners, and enforcement is lax.

None of the brick kiln owners in Ramgati adhere to these laws. All kilns are situated near residential areas and agricultural lands. Locals have organized multiple human chains and submitted written complaints to the Upazila administration, but no substantial action has been taken. This has allowed the illegal kilns to flourish unchecked.

On December 5 last year, at an event in Dhaka, Syeda Rizwana Hasan, advisor on Environment, Forests, and Climate Change, expressed her anger over the growing number of illegal kilns in the area.

During a visit to the areas of Char Afjal, Char Meher, Char Algi, and Char Poragacha on Wednesday (November 5), it was observed that workers were busy with tasks such as mold-making, kiln repairs, labor recruitment, and the stockpiling of wood and coal. Some kilns were even at the final stages of making raw bricks, waiting to start the firing process.

According to a worker from one of the brick kilns, “The work at these kilns began in early October, and now the operations are in full swing. We expect to start firing bricks this week.”

Local farmers like Nurul Alam and Malek Hossain from Char Afjal village complain that the once fertile land, used for rice and vegetable cultivation, is now being overtaken by brick kilns. “The removal of soil has caused a decrease in crop yield. The fields no longer hold water and mud for cultivation,” they said.

Another farmer from the same area, Karim Gazi, stated, “There are 40 brick kilns in Char Romij Union. During the seven months from November to May, we endure unbearable conditions due to the smoke from these kilns. The air becomes polluted, and for the past six years, I’ve been suffering from a skin disease caused by the kiln smoke. It gets slightly better during the monsoon when the kilns stop, but it worsens again when operations resume.”

Senior lawyer Salah Uddin, who filed a writ petition in the High Court last year seeking the closure of 48 illegal kilns in Ramgati and 10 in Komolnagar, said, “We had requested the closure of the illegal brick kilns in Ramgati and Komolnagar. The High Court issued an order in March this year, but the administration has yet to enforce it.”

Khalil Ullah, president of the Ramgati Brick Kiln Owners Association, defended the brick kilns, saying, “These kilns were built a long time ago when there were no settlements in these areas. Now, all kiln owners are applying for clearance certificates, but they haven’t received them yet.”

Harun Ar Rashid, Assistant Director of the Lakshmipur Department of Environment, stated, “We have started working on closing these illegal brick kilns. We have already conducted some operations and will continue to do so.”

Syed Amjad Hossain, the Upazila Executive Officer of Ramgati, mentioned, “Last year, under the High Court’s directive, we demolished some of the kilns. However, the owners repaired them and resumed operations. In August this year, we announced through loudspeakers that action would be taken against the kilns. We also publicized the legal consequences, and will soon conduct further operations.”