4 brick kilns eating away farmland
Four brick kilns set up side by side on farmland have been badly affecting the agricultural production in Manikganj's Singair upazila as the soil of the adjacent croplands are sold to feed the brick kilns for long.
Local farmers alleged that they are often forced to sell their valuable topsoil to the brick kiln owners.
A section of soil traders is cutting off the soil from the farmlands after buying the top layer from the land owners.
Later, the syndicate has been selling the earth to the brick kiln owners.
Despite submitting repeated complaints to the local administration and public representatives, the aggrieved land owners are yet to get any respite in this regard.
They also formed a human chain recently to press for their demand.
During a visit to the area this correspondent saw four brick kilns, set up side by side at Baudipara village under Jamirta Union, have been running their operations in full swing.
It was seen that the syndicate members have been cutting soil, using excavators, from the surrounding cropland at Baudipara, Ramchandrapur and Degreechar village and supplying it to GH Bricks, AMCO Bricks, DMC Bricks and TS Bricks.
Some local influential men including Nazimuddin, Danez, Fazal, Parbat, Barkat and Salam have already cut soil from several hundred bighas of farmland and sold it to the brick kilns.
Local farmers alleged that if anyone dares to protest the illegal soil cutting the syndicate men either beat them up or threatened them with dire consequences.
Farmer Mohammad Rahiz of Hatani village said he has 18 decimals of land only a few hundred yards from the brick kilns and used to get three crops from the land in a year.
"Last year I got 20 tonnes of IRRI paddy from my land, but it lies uncultivated this year," Rahiz said.
He was unable to irrigate his land this year due to removal of soil from both sides of his land, he added.
Farmer Hamed Ali of Bhaudipara village said, "I have 115 decimals land on the east side of the brick kilns. Last year I got 70 maunds of IRRI, 12 maunds of Aman paddy and 24 maunds of mustard from my land."
"Although I have planted IRRI paddy this year, my land has been on the verge of collapse due to cutting of soil from both sides," Hamed said.
Abu Bakar, another farmer of the village, said many trees of the village are dying and fruits are getting damaged due to emission of toxic smoke from the four brick kilns.
ATM Rashed Mehdi, an income tax lawyer from Ramchandrapur village, said despite repeated pleas the authorities are yet to take any action against the brick kilns.
Jamirta Union Parishad (UP) Chairman Abul Hossain said although he has informed the upazila parishad chairman, upazila nirbahi officer and other concerned people about the ill practice, but yet to get any result in this regard.
Manikganj Deputy Commissioner Muhammad Abdul Latif said nothing can be achieved by destroying agricultural land. Local administration will take necessary action in this regard soon, he added.