SC clears way to shut them down

The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court has upheld until its further order a High Court directive that asked the government to shut down all illegal brick kilns, having no valid license, in Chattogram.

Chamber judge of the Appellate Division Justice Md Nuruzzaman on Thursday refused to stay the HC order.

The apex court's chamber judge, however, sent the appeal -- filed by 18 owners of total 23 brick kilns challenging the HC order -- to its full bench and set August 29 for hearing on it.

Following a writ petition filed by Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh (HRPB), the HC on December 14 last year directed authorities concerned to shut down illegal brick kilns in Chattogram in a week, in order to save the environment.

The HC also asked authorities to find out those involved in damaging farmland and hills, burning woods and polluting environment by running illegal brick kilns, and to submit a list of their names and addresses to this court.

The court also issued a rule asking the government to explain why its inaction to shut down the illegal brick kilns should not be declared illegal.

Eighteen owners of 23 brick kilns in Chattogram recently filed an appeal with the Appellate Division challenging the HC directives and seeking stay on the directives.

During hearing of the appeal, Mahmuda Begum, a lawyer for the brick kiln owners, told the SC hundreds of people work in their kilns. If these are shut down, the workers will become unemployed.

Writ petitioner's lawyer Manzill Murshid opposed the appeal, saying no brick kiln without license can run according to the Brick Preparation and Field Setup [Control] Act), 2013.