A brick kiln is being built near farmlands and human habitation at Mojumder Bazar in Hatkrishnapur union under Sadarpur upazila of Faridpur district, in clear violation of a government ban on the construction of brick kilns near croplands.

As a result, human habitations and forest as also the local ecosystem are gravely threatened.

In accordance with the Burning of Brick (Control) Amendment Act, 2010, it is illegal to set up a brick-field within three kilometres of a farmland, a forest, a township and an area with human habitation.

It was found during a recent visit that Salam Munshi of Mojumder Bazar began setting up SAM Brick on farmland measuring five acres next to a canal nearly two months back.  Some 80 houses are situated 100 to 300 metres away from the kiln. Besides, there is a government primary school some 600 metres away. Vegetables are cultivated on the lands adjoining the kiln.

The inspector of the Department of Environment (DoE) in the district, Md Abu Shahid, said the Agriculture Officer of Sadarpur upazila, Farhadul Miraz, certified the land on which the brick kiln has been set up as monoculture land on April 24, 2017.

Shahid said he had visited the area and sent a report to the head office of the DoE on July 25, pointing out that a brick kiln should not be set up there. The head office sent a team from Dhaka to visit the area. Their report recommended that a positional certificate for building the brick kiln be issued, and the district DoE issued it to SAM Brick on November 21, he added.  “We have been working here for the past two months. It will take 15 more days to complete the work. However, the fire to burn the bricks will be lit soon,” said Amir Sheikh, a worker of SAM Brick.

Sheik Faruk, a member of Hatkrishnapur union parishad, said, “SAM Brick has been set up on farmland and next to human habitation. There is even a government primary school nearby. I cannot understand why the DoE and the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) granted permissions to build the kiln in the area.”

“SAM Brick is just 600 metres away from our school. Hence, it may well create problems for us,” complained Elias Ahmed, headmaster of Shoildubi Government Primary School.

Ayub Molla, a local resident, revealed that the owner of the kiln, Salam Munshi, possessed only a single acre of land in the area but took lease of other lands from locals for Tk 20,000 to Tk 30,000 for a year. Munshi said he started setting up the brick kiln after receiving permission from the DoE, adding that he has applied to the deputy commissioner’s (DC’s) office for permission to burn bricks.

Lutfor Rahman, the deputy director of the district DoE, said the department gives positional certificate and issues an environment certificate for brick kiln and the DC’s office grants permission to burn bricks. If the DC’s office does not give permission to burn bricks, the owner cannot run the brick kiln, he added.

Sadarpur Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Purobi Golder said the DoE and DAE gave permission to set up the kiln in violation of the law. Golder promised to talk to the owner of the brick kiln, after which necessary steps would be taken.