Md. Nayeem Hasan Emon, Rajapur (Jhalokathi)

Due to inadequate administrative monitoring, an illegal brick kiln previously shut down has resumed operations in Rajapur, Jhalokathi. Locals report that the kiln, named ‘Seven Star Bricks’ and owned by Md. Ferdous, nephew of former Member of Parliament B.H. Harun, has restarted full-scale operations despite being closed in January this year by the authorities for violating environmental regulations.A field visit to Kanudaskathi village in Rajapur upazila revealed that brick cutting and burning activities were in full swing. Upon sensing the presence of journalists, workers involved in handling the clay quickly abandoned their tools and left the site, leaving only a few kiln workers in place. According to locals, the lack of administrative oversight has allowed the illegal kiln to resume its activities.Residents Abdul Aziz Miah, Mintu Mridha, and Sekandar Ali stated that due to the presence of a nearby primary school, Seven Star Bricks was denied clearance by the Department of Environment. Despite this, the kiln operated last season, prompting a joint operation by Rajapur Upazila Administration and the Department of Environment three months ago, during which the kiln was shut down and a large quantity of raw bricks destroyed. However, within weeks, the owner resumed illegal operations.In Bangladesh, operating a brick kiln without an environmental clearance is entirely illegal and poses serious risks to both the environment and public health. A recent High Court verdict dated March 18, 2025, clearly stated that all brick kilns operating without environmental clearance are illegal and must be dismantled.

When contacted, Md. Ferdous, the owner of Seven Star Bricks, said, “A magistrate came and destroyed our raw bricks and shut down the kiln. However, to recover the losses incurred by the government in VAT and other sectors, we are burning some bricks.”Regarding this matter, Anjuman Nesha, Assistant Director of the Department of Environment, Jhalokathi Office, said, “A few months ago, we shut down Seven Star along with many other illegal brick kilns in the district. If anyone resumes operations secretly without clearance, immediate legal action will be taken.”Locals have demanded urgent and strong administrative action to uphold environmental regulations and prevent such irregularities in the future.