Defying a government ban on setting up of brick kilns near cropland, human habitation and forest, a brick kiln is being set up near farmland and human habitation at Mojumder bazar area in Hatkishnapur union under Sadarpur upazila of the district, threatening the environment.

According to Burning of Bricks (control) Amendment Act 2010, setting up of brick field within three kilometres of farmland, forest, township and human habitation area is illegal.

On a recent visit, this correspondent found that Md Salam Munshi of Mojumder bazar started setting up SAM Brick on five acres of farmland beside a canal two months ago. There are around 80 houses within 100 metres to 300 metres of the kiln, and also a government primary school about 600 metres away. Vegetables are cultivated on lands adjacent to the kiln.

Department of Environment (DoE) Inspector in the district Md Abu Sahid said Agriculture Officer of Sadarpur upazila Farhadul Miraz certified the lands on which the brick kiln has been set up as monoculture land on April 24 in 2017.

Abu Sahid said he visited the area and sent a report to the head office of the DoE on July 25 describing the situation and saying that a brick kiln should not be set up there, but the head office did not pay any heed to the report and sent a team from Dhaka to visit the area. Their report recommended issuance of positional certificate for building brick kiln and the district DoE issued it to SAM Brick on November 21, he added.

“We have been working here for the last two months. It will take 15 more days to finish the work but the fire to burn bricks will be lit on December 29,” said Amir Sheikh, a worker of SAM Brick.

Hatkishnapur Union Parishad Member Sheikh Faruk said, “SAM Brick has been set up on farmland and beside human habitation, including a government primary school. I do not understand how the DoE and Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) gave permission to build the kiln in that area.”

“SAM Brick is 600 metres from our school, so we may face problems due to that,” said Elias Ahamed, headmaster of Shoildobi Government Primary School.

Md Ayub Mollah of the area said the kiln owner has only one acre of land in that area and he took lease of other lands from the locals for Tk 20,000 to Tk 30,000 for one year.

Md Salam Munshi, owner of SAM Brick, said he started building the brick kiln after getting permission from the DoE, adding that he has applied to the deputy commissioner's (DC) office for permission to burn bricks.

Deputy Director of DoE in the district Md Lutfor Rhaman said DoE gives positional certificate and issues environmental certificate for brick kiln and the DC's office gives permission to burn bricks. If the DC's office does not give permission to burn bricks, the owner cannot run the brick kiln, he added.

Upazila Nirbahi Officer of Sadarpur Purobi Golder said DoE and DAE gave permission to build the kiln breaking the law, adding that he will take necessary steps after talking with the owner of the brick kiln.