Stop operations of all illegal brick kilns in 7 days: HC

The High Court today directed the government to stop operations of all illegal brick kilns and use of wood as fuels in the brickfields in seven days across the country to check environment pollution.

In response to a writ petition filed by Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh (HRPB), the HC ordered the cabinet secretary, senior secretary at the public administration ministry, environment secretary to ask all the deputy commissioners across the country to take effective measures in this regard and submit separate compliance reports before it within two weeks.

At the same time, the HC directed the director general of the Department of Environment (DoE) and divisional commissioners to form separate teams in their respective divisions to monitor illegal brick kiln activities and take appropriate action, as well as to submit separate progress reports to the court within two weeks.

The HC also issued a rule requiring government officials to explain in four weeks why their failure to shut down all illegal brick kilns and use wood as fuel in brick fields in accordance with the Brick Manufacturing and Brick Kilns Establishment (Control) Act, 2013 should not be declared illegal.

The law was created to establish control over brick manufacturing and brick kiln establishment for the sake of environmental and biodiversity conservation and development.

Twenty government officials, including cabinet secretary, senior secretary at the public administration ministry and environment secretary, DG of DoE, eight divisional commissioners have been made respondents to the rule.

The HC bench of Justice Md Ashfaqul Islam and Justice Md Shohrowardi delivered the directives and issued the rule following a writ petition filed as a public interest litigation today seeking necessary orders.

Senior lawyer Manzill Murshid appeared for the HRPB while Deputy Attorney General Kazi Mynul Hassan represented the state during hearing of the petition.