<i>Brick kilns fined, wood seized</i>
This brick kiln at Char Koshakhali village in Pabna Sadar upazila is one of the four such establishments that were fined yesterday for illegally using firewood for baking bricks. Photo: STAR
A mobile court yesterday fined Tk 4 lakh to four brick kilns at Char Koshakhali village of Pabna Sadar upazila on charge of illegally burning wood and seized four thousand maunds of wood from their fields. During a raid to MSK brick field, RSK brick field, A & A brick field and NSB brick field at Char Koshakhali at about 2:00pm yesterday, the mobile court led by Executive Magistrate Md Sarwar Alam of Pabna district administration found huge pile of woods in the brick fields. "Following information, we have raided the four kilns near the district headquarters. During the drive we found huge piles of wood in the kilns. We have seized over 4 thousand maunds of wood and fined Tk 50 thousand to each kiln," Magistrate Sarwar Alam said. “The authorities have warned the brick kilns to avoid wood burning for the sake of environment but some brick kiln owners have continued the act, defying the government rule. Tougher legal steps will be taken against them if they violate the order again,” he said. The mobile court accompanied by Rapid Action Battalion will continue the drive, officials said. When contacted, the president of district brick kilns association Md Abul Kashem said, "Although wood burning in brick kilns is illegal, most of the owners prefer it to coal to burn the bricks properly. Sixty-five brick kilns in the district are burning bricks this year legally while some 15 to 20 kilns are running illegally, he added. "Wood burning in different brick kilns posing threat to the forest resources. There are 70 brick fields are running this year threatens several lakh maunds of wood. The forest department will continue the drive and cases will be filed against the brick kiln owners who are harming environment by burning wood,” said Azit Kumar Rudra, district forest officer.
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