Demolish illegal brick kilns of Dhaka, surrounding districts in 15 days: HC

The High Court today directed the government to shut down the operations of all the illegal brick kilns and demolish their structures in Dhaka and four other surrounding districts -- Gazipur, Manikganj, Narayanganj and Munshiganj -- in 15 days to prevent environment pollution.

The court also ordered the authorities concerned of the government to submit separate reports before it after complying with the directive.

The HC bench of Justice Md Ashfaqul Islam and Justice Md Iqbal Kabir Lytton passed the order during hearing a writ petition filed by rights organisation Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh (HRPB) in 2019 seeking necessary order.

During hearing the same petition, the director general of Department of Environment on February 16 submitted a report to the HC, saying that a total of 319 illegal brick kilns are still running and polluting the environment in Dhaka and the four districts even after 95 were shut down through mobile courts since November last year to January this year.

Lawyer Manzill Murshid appeared for the writ petitioner while lawyer Amatul Karim Swapna represented the DoE during virtual proceedings of the HC today.