SC clears way to shut down illegal brick kilns in Chattogram
The Supreme Court upheld a High Court directive today that asked government authorities to shut down all brick kilns without valid licenses in Chattogram.
A four-member bench of the Appellate Division of the SC headed by Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain passed the order rejecting a petition collectively filed by the owners of 18 brick kilns, seeking a stay on the HC directive.
Newly elected president of Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) and senior lawyer Abdul Matin Khasru, who appeared for the brick kiln owners, told the court that his clients have invested crores of taka for running the brick kilns where thousands of people are working.
If the brickfields shut down, they will face huge losses, the lawyer said.
Lawyer Matin Khasru prayed to the Appellate Division to stay the HC order and allow his clients to operate functions for the next two months.
Writ petitioner's lawyer Manzil Murshid opposed the petition saying that brick kilns, which have no valid license, can run as per the provisions of relevant laws.
The owners of brick kilns have moved several petitions before this court earlier to stop shutting down their operations in Chattogram.
Manzil Murshid told The Daily Star that, following the apex court order, there is no bar to shut down the brick kilns running illegally.
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