Narail Correspondent

A protest rally was held at 11 am on Tuesday at the Shilpakala Academy premises in Narail.

The programme was organized by Narail Brick Kiln Owners Association and workers protesting the government-mandated closure of local kilns.

The demonstration, which drew about 5,000 participants—including both men and women—marched through key roads of Narail town before culminating at the District Commissioner’s office.

A memorandum outlining their demands was submitted to the Chief Adviser through the Deputy Commissioner.

Speakers at the rally warned of severe economic repercussions if brick kilns are shut down, emphasizing the dual threat to livelihoods and businesses. They argued that closures would cripple owners’ ability to repay substantial bank loans—averaging 10 million Bangladeshi Taka (BDT) per kiln—while risking mass unemployment for thousands of workers reliant on the industry. Nationwide, brick kiln owners collectively owe around 80 billion BDT to financial institutions, a debt they claim will become unmanageable without operational continuity.

Key representatives of the Brick Kiln Owners’ Association, including President S.M. Rezaul Alam, Vice President B.M. Rafiqul Islam, General Secretary Saidur Rahman and Treasurer Karimul Karim spoke at the event.

They urged authorities to seek alternative solutions to balance environmental concerns with economic realities, calling for urgent dialogue to avert a crisis. “The livelihoods of workers and the financial stability of businesses hang in the balance,” stated Alam, stressing the need for collaborative policymaking.

The protest underscores growing tensions in Bangladesh’s industrial sector as the government pushes for environmentally sustainable practices.