A total of 132 brick kilns, located in different upazilas of Lalmonirhat and Kurigram, are running illegally, posing serious environment pollution and health hazard for people living in nearby residential areas.

Surprisingly, only 41 out of a total of 173 brick kilns in 14 upazilas of the two districts have obtained no objection certificate (NOC) from the Directorate of Environment (DoE) while the remaining 132 are running without any valid license or legal papers.

Locals said though most of the brickfields have been continuing operation illegally for years, no visible legal action is being taken by the authorities concerned.

They also alleged that owners of the illegal brickfields are so influential that no one dares to protest them.

Moreover, almost all the brick kilns have been built either on agricultural land or close to residential areas, they said.

Farmer Azizar Rahman of Tentultala village in Kurigram's Ulipur upazila said production of crops and different fruits and vegetables on surrounding farmlands has been gradually decreasing due to emission of toxic smoke from the brick kilns. 

Although a huge amount of top soil is being used for making raw bricks every year, they do not dare to protest the brick kiln owners, fearing unnecessary harassment, he said.

Sobhan Ali, another farmer from Madonerchak village in Lalmonirhat Sadar upazila, said they have lodged written complaints to the authorities concerned on several occasions, but no legal step has been taken yet in this regard.

According to the sources at DoE, a total of 88 out of 111 brick kilns in nine upazilas of Kurigram do not have any legal permission from the DoE.

On the other hand, only 18 out of the 62 brickfields in five upazilas of Lalmonirhat have obtained no objection certificate (NOC) from the concerned authorities.

Kurigram DoE Assistant Director Rezaul Karim said they have already prepared a list of illegal brick kilns, currently operating in different upazilas of the district, and they will conduct separate drives to demolish those illegal brickfields very soon.

Azeharul Islam, assistant director (AD) at Rangpur DoE, said they cannot conduct drives against the illegal brickfields quite regularly due to shortage of manpower.

Contacted, Kurigram DoE AD Rezaul Karim said they have conducted separate drives about a week ago and fined two brick kilns -- MHT Bricks and DA Bricks in Nageshwari upazila -- a total of Tk 9.5 lakh for no having valid documents and prior approval from the DoE.