HC issues rule to remove illegal brick kilns in two upazilas of Lakshmipur
The respondents have been asked to explain within four weeks why the authorities should not be directed to remove the unauthorised kilns and prevent new ones from being established.
The High Court has issued a rule seeking an explanation as to why the authorities concerned should not be directed to remove all unauthorised and illegal brick kilns in Lakshmipur's Ramgati and Kamalnagar upazilas and prevent the establishment of new ones.
The respondents have been asked to reply to the rule within four weeks.
A special bench of Justice Razik-Al-Jalil and Justice Debasish Roy Chowdhury issued the rule after hearing a writ petition.
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
The petitioner and his lawyer confirmed the matter yesterday (1 October).
Advocate Jyotirmoy Barua represented the petitioner during the hearing, while Deputy Attorney General Jamila Mumtaz and other state lawyers represented the state.
The writ petition was filed by Ashraful Alam Hannan, a resident of Charlakshmi village in Ramgati upazila, under Article 102 of the Constitution. He sought directions to remove all unauthorised and illegal brick kilns in Ramgati and Kamalnagar.
The petitioner also sought necessary directions to ensure that no new brick kiln is allowed to be established in violation of the laws governing brick production and kiln construction.
Fifteen officials were made respondents. They include the secretaries of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources and the Ministry of Land; the secretary of the Local Government Engineering Department; the chairman of the Bangladesh Rural Electrification Board; and the chief conservator of forests.
The others are the director general of the Department of Environment, the director of its Chattogram regional office and the assistant director in Lakshmipur; the deputy commissioner of Lakshmipur; the executive engineer of LGED; the upazila nirbahi officers of Ramgati and Kamalnagar; and the officers-in-charge of the two police stations concerned.
