100 brick kilns in CHT harming agri lands, denuding forests
Around 100 brick kilns in Bandarban, Khagrachhari and Rangamati hill districts use 5.40 lakh tonnes of loamy soil every year, much to the harm of agricultural lands in addition to causing damage to hills, forest resources and environment.
A recent research conducted by Bandarban Soil and Water Conservation Centre run by Bangladesh Soil Research Institute revealed the alarming information.
The research found that 52 brick kilns in Khagrachhari, 31 in Bandarban and 17 in Rangamati produce and refract about 18 crore pieces of bricks every year. In the process topsoil of at least 270 hectares of crop land is destroyed every year.
"Brick kilns have to use loamy soil to maintain quality of bricks. If the process continues 74,903 hectares of crop land in Bandarban, Rangamati and Khagrachhari will be destroyed soon," said agriculturist Jobaer Al Arman, officer-in-charge of Bandarban Soil and Water Conservation Centre.
"Crop lands throughout the country are facing threat as setting up of brick kilns continues. Existing law has provision for jail term of different tenure and monetary fine for using firewood for burning bricks. But there is no law to take action against the use of soil from agricultural land for the purpose," said agriculturist AKM Farhad Hossain, deputy director of the Department of Agricultural Extension at Bandarban.
"According to the latest account, there are 34,114 hectares of sloppy crop lands in Khagrachari, 22,443 hectares in Bandarban and 18,346 hectares in Rangamati district. The brick kilns now threaten these lands," noted soil researcher Mohammad Shahin said.
A medium sized brick kiln produces about 18 lakh pieces of brick every year and at least 3 kg earth is required for a piece of 150 cubic inch brick, said a brick field manager seeking anonymity.
Brick field owners buy earth from nearby crop lands at nominal prices and earth is taken from up to six inches deep to make pulp for brick, he said.
According to an estimate of Bandarban Soil and Water Conservation Centre, 18,346 hectares of crop land in the district will be lost in only 68 years if the earth is extracted at the present rate.
Environmentalists alleged that the brick field owners do not need to take any permission from local administration, agricultural department or Directorate of Environment for extracting soil.
As per conditions for setting up a brick field, all bricks and other properties of a brick field can be seized if proof of burning firewood is found.
Review of the office records and spot visits however show that no brick was seized for such crime in Bandarban district in last 28 years.
It was found during spot visits that 84 of the 100 brick fields in three hill districts have been set up very close to human habitations, educational institutions or health care facilities violating laws concerned.
The brick field authorities got approval for mysterious reasons although the committee concerned comprised members of district administration, forest or environment directorate and upazila nirbahi officer, said sources concerned.
In Bandarban Sadar upazila, eight brick fields have been set up adjacent to densely populated areas near Dhopchhari Reserve Forest, one near a primary school and another within a few yards of a health centre.
When contacted, DFO RASM Monirul Islam of Bandarban Forest Department said, "Rules have been relaxed considering requirement of bricks for development work as there was no scope for setting up brick field in the district Sadar except at Majherpara.
"The district administration has been keeping an eye on the presence of 'too many' brick fields in the district. Four out of five applications for setting up brick fields have been rejected in the current season. Similar steps would also be taken in case of the remaining applications," Bandarban Additional Deputy Commissioner Abdul Mannan said.
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