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Illegal brick kilns on the Madhumati river

Our Correspondent, Faridpur
With the beginning of the brick-making season, three illegal brick kilns have started operation just beside the Madhumati river on the border area of Faridpur and Magura, ignoring environmental rules.
Boalmari upazila of Faridpur is on the east side of Madhumati river and Mohammadpur upazila of Magura is on the west side. But some croplands of Mohammadpur upazila are on the east side of the river.
The owners of the brick kilns are running their business on those croplands in Ruijani and Jangalia villages under Mohammadpur upazila, despite a restriction from the authorities concerned and ignoring the objections of the locals.
During a recent visit, this correspondent saw three brick kilns - M/S Nodi Bricks on six acres of cropland at Ruijani area, STC Bricks on five acres and Sharif Bricks on three and a half acres in Jangalia area.
Some residents of these areas said the kiln owners are influential people of their areas, so they have been running their business by 'managing' the local administration.
"Fertility of farmland around the brickfields is going down. They are also polluting the environment badly in the area, raising the risk of spread of diseases," said Md Razaul Karim of Char Jangalia village.
“Moreover, risk of accidents is rising due to increased movement of brick and earthladen trucks on roads that are used by the villagers as well as school-going children," he added.
"The owners of the kilns are using firewood to burn bricks, so the number of trees in our area is decreasing day by day. The
situation is posing a serious threat to human health and the environment, but the local administration is yet to take any noticeable action to check the menace," said Md Chunnu Mollah of Charborni village under Boalmari upazila.
"The owners of the illegal kilns are using unsafe and outdated chimneys and firewood in defiance of environmental rules. They are causing air pollution and affecting soil fertility and crops," said Faridpur Brickfields Association Vice-President Shyamol Kumar Saha.
"We did not get any permission from the Department of Environment to build brick kiln. We need around 350 maunds of firewood daily to burn bricks," said Minhajul Islam, a partner of M/S Nodi Bricks.
"It is very difficult to follow the rules of the Brick Kiln Amendment Rule, so we are running the business by 'managing' the local administration," he added.
"We started burning bricks this year. We did not apply to the Department of Environment and the deputy commissioner's office due to lack of time," said Md Shoriftil Islam, a partner of Sharif Bricks.
"Most of the brick kilns in Mohammadpur upazila are illegal. We will take steps against them as soon as possible," said Md Asifur Rahman, upazila nirbahi officer of Mohammadpur upazila of Magura.
"Using unsafe and outdated chimneys and firewood to run brick kilns is illegal. We shall visit the spots and take necessary steps against them," said Mizanur Rahman, senior chemist of the Department of Environment in Jashore.