HC for closing 22 brick fields, 20 saw mills in Ctg

AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota
Dhaka, Feb 20 (UNB) – The High Court on Wednesday ordered the Chittagong District Deputy Commissioner to permanently close 22 brick fields and 20 saw mills within the boundary of conserved forest in Lohagara of Chittagong.

An HC bench of Justice Mirza Hossain Haider and Justice Khurshid Alam Sarker came up with the order after hearing a rule.

The concerned owners will get one month time to remove their establishments as per the court order.

After hearing a writ petition, the court on Dec 15, 2011 had ordered the Chittagong DC, the Police Super, the DG of the Environment department, the divisional forest officer and the Lohagara UNO to close the 22 brick fields and the 20 saw mills within 48 hours after investigation.

At that time, the court also issued an interim rule upon the Chittaging DC and others. The rule’s final hearing was held today (Wednesday).

Bangladesh Environment Lawyers Association (BELA) filed the writ with the court following the publication of a report titled ‘22 brick fields and 20 saw mills beside conserved forest’ in a national daily on Dec 12, 2011.  

Advocate Iqbal Kabir Liton stood for BELA while Deputy Attorney General Al Amin Sarker represented the state.

Liton told the journalists that according to Brick Burning (Control) Amendment Act-2001 establishment of brick field within three kms of forest area and saw mill within 10 kms is strictly prohibited. “Twenty-two brick fields and 20 saw mills were illegally set up near the conserved forest in Lohagara upazila of Chittagong”.