The smoke of brick kilns destroys crops in Lalmonirhat and Kurigram Upazilla, Bangladesh
Farmers of Karnapur village of Lalmonirhat Sadar Upazila and Balabari Kisamatbanu village of Kurigram have claimed that damaged paddy, fruit trees, bamboo bushes, and betel cuts severely due to toxic smoke from brick kilns.
The farmers have already requested the Upazila administration to remove the brick kilns from the middle of the cropland.
Farmers complained that about 50 hectares of Boro paddy, including 45 hectares in Karnapur village of Lalmonirhat Sadar Upazila and 7 hectares of land in Balabari Kisamatbanu village, Chilmari Upazila, have dried up due to toxic fumes emitted from two brick kilns.
The leaves of mango, jackfruit, litchi, coconut, and betel trees have turned brown due to toxic smoke from two brickfields at Star Bricks in Lalmonirhat and Wares Bricks in Chilmari.
Harun, a farmer from Karnapur village in Lalmonirhat Sadar Upazila, complained, “Every year, huge crops damaging due to toxic fumes emitted from brickfields.”
However, the brick kiln owners are so powerful that no one dares to protest against them. This year, the toxic fumes of brick kilns have destroyed 15 bighas of paddy. The affected farmers complained to the Upazila Administration and Agriculture Department.
Habibur Rahman, UP chairman of Mughalhat Union Council in Lalmonirhat Sadar Upazila, said, “The toxic fumes from the brick kiln are damaging the plants and crops in the area.
I have already talked to the brick kiln owner about the matter. However, no response has been received from the owner yet.”
Golap Uddin, a farmer from Kishabatanu village in Balabari of Chilmari Upazila, complained, “The toxic smoke of Wares brick kiln has destroyed Boro paddy of my 0.45 hectares of land. We are demanding compensation, but the brick kiln owner is not responding to us.”
Selim Haider, owner of Two Star Brick kiln in Lalmonirhat, and Wares Ali, owner of Wares Brick kiln in Chilmari, said, “If the toxic fumes from the brick kiln are responsible for crop damage, the affected farmers will get compensation.”
Shamim Ashraf, Deputy Director of the Lalmonirhat Agriculture Extension Department, said, “Crops damages due to toxic fumes from the brick kilns. Agriculture department officials visited the spot and submitted a report to the Upazila administration.”
Mahmuda Masum, Upazila Nirbahi Officerer (UNO), Lalmonirhat Sadar Upazila and Mahbubur Rahman, UNO of Chilmari Upazila, said, ‘’We had visited the spot. The farmers have complained to us. Necessary steps will take in this regard.”
Maj-Babul Alam, Deputy Director of Rangpur’s environment department, said, “Out of 170 brickfields in Lalmonirhat and Kurigram, 130 brickfields operate without any approval. The list of illegal brick kilns has been given to the local administration. An operation will launch against illegal brick kilns in collaboration with the local administration.”
