Illegal brick kilns must be stopped to evade terrible air pollution

The High Court on Sunday asked the government to take necessary steps to shut down all illegal brick kilns across the country and to stop using wood as fuel for brick kilns in seven days. It asked Cabinet Secretary, Environment Secretary and Senior Secretary of the Public Administration Ministry to issue effective instructions to the Deputy Commissioners (DCs) of all the districts within seven days so that they shut down all illegal brick kilns in their respective areas and stop using wood as fuel for brick kilns. The secretaries have also been asked to submit a compliance report in the court within two weeks over their steps regarding the issue.

The High Court bench of Justice Md Ashfaqul Islam and Justice Md Shohrowardi passed the order after hearing a writ petition filed in this regard. Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh (HRPB), a rights organization, filed the petition with the High Court on November 13 annexing a news report. The court also issued a rule upon the concerned bodies of the government to explain in four weeks why their inaction in stopping illegal brick kilns across the country and in stopping use of woods as fuel in the brick kilns should not be declared illegal.

It also asked the Director General of the Department of Environment and Director and Divisional Commissioners of the department to form a monitoring team within one week for their respective areas for the same purpose. They have also been asked to submit a compliance report over their steps within two weeks.

Illegal brick kilns across the country have started their operations ahead of the winter season and those brick kilns have taken preparation to use wood as fuel. Brick kilns are the main ones responsible for air pollution in winter. To enable a city to live, we must stop brick kilns by any means.

Often the High Court Division expressed such anxiety, but it has always been proved incapable. Now when the government is fighting for its own survival, we cannot rely on it to be of any help in improving the air pollution.