Nk Barta Online Desk:

About 20 brick kilns have been built in different places of Subarnachar Upazila of Noakhali. Most of which is burning raw wood in brick kilns. Residents have killed people to demand the closure of these brick kilns.

This program was held in front of the Upazila Parishad organized by the conscious civil society of Subarnachar on Thursday (October 31).  After the human chain and protest march, the Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Mohammad Al Amin gave a memorandum to the government.

The speakers in the human band complained that the soil of the cultivated land is being used freely in the brick kilns. On the one hand, as forestry is being destroyed, agriculture is facing damage. Black smoke from wood burning is polluting the environment and biodiversity. Although these brick kilns have been running for a long time, the role of the administration in this regard is questionable. Demanding the closure of these brick kilns in Nirupa, the locals have organized human chains, protest rallies and memorials.

The speakers also complained that tractors, power tillers are used to transport trees, soil and bricks to the brick kilns, due to which the rural roads have become impassable. Although there are a few expeditions showing people in Kalebhadre, multiple Bengali chimneys are being used in addition to zigzag chimneys in each kiln. But in 2013, Bengali Chimney was declared illegal in a circular related to brick kilns. But the related law enforcement agencies including the Department of Environment, Upazila and District Administration are silent in the implementation of this ban. Locals complain that the administration is showing thumbs up and managing such activities of illegal kilns.

They also said that the black smoke of the brick kiln is polluting the surrounding environment. Darkness descends on brickyard areas every day after noon. The whole area became dark with black smoke. Raw plants are burning, children, old people are getting sick. If legal action is not taken against the brick kilns within the next 7 days, the locals announced a siege and stay program against the upazila administration. People of various professions including farmers, workers, students participated in the human chain.