23 brick kilns pollute a single union

There is a huge pile of firewood being fed into the kiln next to the chimney. Thick black smoke spirals into the air. This kiln of SBC Mark brick factory is located in Kazipara of the village Chariya, Mirzapur union, Hathazari, Chattogram.

The village Chariya has many such brick factories built up on crop land next the homes of the local people. According to official records, there are 23 brick factories in Mirzapur union which is 17 sq km in area. Most of the factories do not have clearance. The local people claim there are actually more than 23 factories there, polluting the environment. They are fed up with dust all over.

Mirzapur union is 6 km from Hathazari and the village Chariya is 3 km west from the Hathazari-Nazirhat road. A visit to Kazipara in the village on Tuesday afternoon, revealed predicament of the area. A certain Mohammed Selim and others standing by the roadside suddenly rushed indoors. The reason was soon obvious. A truck loaded with soil went past, leaving a haze of dust everywhere. Three minutes later, Selim and the others emerged from their homes.

At half-hour intervals, the people try to protect themselves from the dust. The soil-laden vehicles travel down the makeshift brick roads, sending clouds of dust all over. A layer of dust covers the surroundings. The local people even cut down trees to block the road in protest, demanding that water be used to keep the dust down. But they were threatened to remain silent and the people’s representatives remain oblivious.

Selim said that three years ago he would grow papayas, guavas and dragon fruit. With the brick kilns being set up in the area, he can no longer do so.

Khair Ahmed Sowdagar joins in, saying he can no longer cultivate any crops. Their land lies vacant, the pollution preventing any cultivation.

The KBM brick factory at the foot of a hill, one kilometre west of Chariya village, is burning wood, spewing out smoke. Burning wood is against the law, but as worker there said, money makes anything possible. The authorities just turn a blind eye.

Sources within the Chattogram district administration said that 312 brick factories of the 408 in the district are illegal. Over 50 are in Hathazari and many in Chariya.

The Brick Manufacturing and Brick Kiln Establishment (Control) Act 2013 (amended 2019) maintains that it is illegal to set up any brick kiln within 500 metres of a hill or hillock. No brick kilns can be set up within a kilometre radius of residential areas and educational institution and within 2 kilometres of forest land. Yet in blatant violation of the law, the kilns are being set up by the side of hills, on crop lands and around residential areas.

Most of the owners of these brick factories are influential. Even if they are not directly involved in politics, they have close association with political leaders. Abul Kasem own four brick factories in Chariya and is the president of the Mirzapur brick kiln owners association.

Speaking to Prothom Alo, Abul Kasem said that his four kilns were all within the law and most had licences.

Deputy director of the Chattogram zone department of environment Jamir Uddin, told Prothom Alo, no brick kilns that harm the environment can be allowed.

He said, action would be taken with the help of the local administration against the illegal brick kilns, including those at the foot of the hills in Chariya, Mirzapur.

* This report has been rewritten in English by Ayesha Kabir