HC orders closure of a Jashore brick kiln

The High Court (HC) declared all activities of a Jashore brick kiln illegal and ordered to shut it down over allegations of operating without proper license and environmental certification.

The 'Messrs Super Bricks' is located at Satbaria in Keshabpur of Jashore.

On Tuesday, a virtual High Court bench of Justice Ashfaqul Islam and Justice Mohammad Ali, handed down the verdict, disposing of a writ petition filed by the Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (BELA), challenging the legality of the operation of the brick kiln.

The court directed 12 individuals, including Land Secretary of the Ministry of Environment and Forests; Director General of the Department of Environment; Jashore Deputy Commissioner; Superintendent of Police; Keshabpur Upazila Nirbahi Officer, and Officer-in-Charge of Keshabpur Police Station to execute the court order regarding shutdown of the brick kiln.

BELA submitted the petition to the High Court on 4 April 2018, alleging that the brick kiln was illegally built on a plot of agricultural land in a residential area.

In reply to the petition, the High Court, on 9 April 2018, issued a rule asking the relevant authorities and proprietor of this brick kiln to show cause as to why the factory should not be declared illegal.

Advocate Ali Mustafa Khan represented BELA in the court today.