A mobile court in Feni has fined nine brick kilns Tk 58 lakh and evicted two others for operating without the necessary environmental clearances.
The drive was conducted on Thursday by Abdullah Al Mamun, executive magistrate of the department of environment, in Feni Sadar and Daganbhuiyan upazilas.
During the drive, two brick kilns 鈥擱LB-1 and RLB-2, in the Tulatli area of Daganbhuiyan upazila鈥攚ere evicted due to the lack of clearance from the department of environment.
Siraj brick kiln was fined Tk 20 lakh, and Daganbhuiyan brick kiln Tk 10 lakh for lacking environmental clearance and for illegally collecting soil from cropland by cutting topsoil.
Shukkur brick kiln in the Balua Chaumuhani area of Dhalia union and Sonagazi brick kiln in Gobindapur area of Kalidaha union was fined Tk 10 lakh each for similar violations.
Additionally, a Tk 8 lakh fine was imposed on five brick kilns in Gobindapur area, with Tushar brick kiln receiving the largest fine of Tk 5.8 lakh for operating without clearance and illegally collecting soil.
Magistrate Abdullah Al Mamun said that there were 103 brick kilns across Feni district, of which only 25 held the required environmental clearance certificates.
鈥楩ollowing the instructions of the environment, forest and climate change adviser, the authorities have been taking legal action against illegal brick kilns across the country, and all unlicensed brick kilns in Feni will be demolished in phases,鈥� he added.