A total of 318 illegal brick kilns are still running and polluting the environment in Dhaka and four other surrounding districts -- Gazipur, Manikganj, Narayanganj and Munshiganj -- even after 95 were shut down through mobile courts recently.

Director General (DG) of Department of Environment (DoE) Abdul Hamid said this while placing a statement before the High Court today.

In total, 95 brick kilns that had no licence, were shut down recently through mobile courts, the DG told the HC during the virtual hearing of a writ petition filed by Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh (HRPB) in 2019 seeking necessary directives to curb air pollution.

According to a report submitted by the DG of DoE to the HC, there are 112 illegal brick kilns in Dhaka, 11 in Manikganj, 26 in Munshiganj and 123 Narayanganj.

However, the deputy commissioner of Dhaka told the HC that a total of 128 illegal brick kilns are running in Dhaka after 27 were shut down.

The DC of Gazipur informed the HC that the number of illegal brick kilns in the district is now 46.

The HC bench of Justice Md Ashfaqul Islam and Md Iqbal Kabir Lytton asked the DCs to submit the lists of illegal brick kilns through swearing affidavit and fixed February 23 for further hearing on the petition.

Lawyer Manzill Murshid appeared for the writ petitioner.

On February 1, the HC bench had blasted the government authorities concerned for their failure in taking effective measures to control the air pollution in Dhaka and its surrounding areas despite its repeated directives.