Shut down all illegal brick kilns in Chattogram: Appellate Division

The Supreme Court has upheld a High Court (HC) order that asked the authorities concerned of the government to shut down all unlicensed brick kilns in Chattogram.

A bench of the Appellate Division led by Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain, on Sunday, passed the order after rejecting a petition challenging the High Court order.

Advocate Abdul Matin Khasru moved for the brick kiln owners while Advocate Manzil Murshid represented the Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh (HRPB).

Earlier on 25 February, the HC directed the authorities concerned to shut down all illegal brick kilns still in operation in Chattogram, within 14 working days, to curb pollution in response to a time petition.

Chattogram District Administration and Department of Environment were asked to comply with the HC directive.

The brick kiln owners later appealed to the Appellate Division against the High Court order.

Lawyer Manzil Morshed said on 14 December last year, the HC directed to stop all illegal brick kilns in different areas of Chattogram who have no approval of the Department of Environment.

On that day, the HC ordered the authorities to shut down illegal brick kilns in Chattogram in a week to curb pollution there and to submit a report to it by 18 February.

The HC also ordered them to submit a list of brick kilns that use soil from hills and arable land to make bricks as well as wood to fuel their kilns.

Manzil Morshed said according to Section 4 of the Brick Manufacturing and Brick Kiln Establishment (Control) (Amendment) Bill, 2019, no brick kiln can be operated without a license. For the violation, the owners will be given two years of imprisonment under section 14 of the act.