Two more weeks given to demolish illegal brickfields in 5 districts

PBC NEWS DESK: The High Court on Monday gave two more weeks time to demolish all the illegal brick kilns in five districts including Dhaka.

A High Court division bench comprising Justice KM Kamrul Kader and Justice Mohammad Ali passed the order after going through a report filed by the Department of Environment (DoE) in this regard.

Earlier on March 1, 2022, the High Court had ordered authorities concerned to demolish within 15 days all the illegal brick kilns in Dhaka, Manikganj, Munshiganj, Gazipur and Narayanganj.

“The court said the report filed by the Department of Environment was not adequate. So it asked the authorities concerned to demolish all the illegal brickfields in these five districts in two weeks and submit a report on execution of the order,” senior advocate Manzil Morshed, who moved a plea before the court, told newsmen.

Amatul Karim appeared for DoE, while Deputy Attorney General Abdullah Al Mahmud Bashar stood for the state.

Earlier the DoE had informed the court that they have conducted raids in eight out of 11 illegal brickfields in Manikganj, 16 out of 26 in Munshiganj, 25 out of 113 in Dhaka, and 33 out of 46 illegal brickfields in Gazipur.

The High Court in 2020 had pronounced a judgment in this regard, giving nine specific directions to reduce air pollution in and around the capital.

Advocate Manzil Morshed on January 30 last, filed a writ, pleading for order to execute those directions.

The High Court on January 31 had asked to inform it about the steps taken to reduce the air pollution in Dhaka. After that order, the DoE on February 5 and 26 filed separate reports.