Reza Mahmud :
About 80 to 90 brick kilns are in operation on the banks of Dhaleswari River sending the important stream in to death gradually.
A section of dishonest businessmen are manufacturing bricks establishing kiln on the banks of the river ignoring the environmental laws.
On spot visit it was found that large size of brick kilns are producing huge numbers of bricks everyday collecting sands and mud from the river banks in Mollar bazar area of South Keranigonj.
Heaps of their producing bricks have been kept beside the river close to the water. Huge number of usable and non-usable bricks also kept in the river water near the banks.
Number of workers were found busy over producing raw bricks with sands and mud and several of them were loading readymade bricks to engine driven boats for sending them to the consumers.
Local people alleged that they witnessed several times that officials from several government agencies used to come frequently and return with handful amount of money from the brick kiln owners for their illegal operations.
They also said that the brick kiln workers used to collect sands and mud from the river whole night illegally which is harming the river seriously.
Such actions also are creating risks of river bank erosions, they said expressing anxiety.
Meanwhile, ecology experts and officials of the department of environment said that any installation built in the river bank is illegal.
Experts said that establishing brick kiln causing huge threat of the river flow.
These are killing the river by damaging its stream and is creating navigability crisis seriously.
Local boat men claimed that the Dhaleswari River is shrinking and losing its navigability sharply for huge number of brick kilns’ harmful operations in its banks.
Farmers, boatmen and the other local residents worried about the life threat of the river for number of brick kilns operating in the river banks and sands of the river.
They are dependent on the river widely and asked the government to take strict action for stopping such heinous money making activities of the irresponsible people killing the river.
Experts also warned of serious consequences of the ecology as the bio-diversity also under high risks for these.
But those brick kilns are doing their full-fledged operations near the capital city.
When contacted, Sheikh Rokon, Founder and Secretary General of Riverine People, an advocacy organisation over protecting river and environment, told The New Nation, “No installation can be established near the river or on its banks as per the existing laws. In case of Dhaleswary, We know dishonest brick kiln owners used to cut soils recklessly from the river bank which harming the water body as well the environment seriously.”
He said, “The law enforcers and agencies concern failed to protect the river from those evil quarters.”
Sheikh Rokon asked the authorities to take stern measures protecting the river from those miscreants.
When contacted, Dr. Abdul Hamid, Director General of the Department of Environment, told The New Nation, “It is illegal of establishing brick kiln on the bank of river.”
He, however, said that have no information about presence of brick kilns on the sands of Dhaleswari River.
He suggested knocking the local administrations in these regards.
When contacted, Md. Shahidul Islam, Deputy Commissioner of Dhaka District told The New Nation, “No illegal brick kiln is running there now. All are made inoperative.”
He however said, “If any illegal brick kiln is found in operation, please inform UNO for legal action.”
Meanwhile, Md. Mehedi Hasan, Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) of Keranigonj, could not be reached while trying repeatedly over phone for receiving his comments in these regards.
