Rashed Billah Chishti: The human chain and protest march initiated by the brick kiln owners and workers in Noakhali to protest against the free operation of mobile courts, fines and widespread vandalism in the brick kilns have been completed. Later, they submitted a memorandum to the Chief Advisor, Environment, Forest and Climate Advisor through the Deputy Commissioner.
Today (March 11), Tuesday at around 12 noon, a protest march started from in front of the Maizdi Shaheed Bhulu Stadium under the banner of the Bangladesh Brick Manufacturers' Association, and then circled the main road of Maizdi town and joined the human chain in front of the Deputy Commissioner's office. Finally, they submitted a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner with 7 proposals.
Bangladesh Brick Manufacturers' Association President Ismail and General Secretary KM Aftab Uddin, along with leaders of various levels of the organization and representatives of labor organizations, spoke at the human chain.
The speakers said that the kilns are continuing the development trend by supplying bricks used in the construction of roads, houses and all the infrastructure of the country. Keeping pace with the development of the country, the owners of the brick kilns are using energy-efficient, environment-friendly technology by installing modern technology zigzag kilns as directed by the government to prevent air pollution. Now the country's brick kilns are polluting the air by only 5-10%, burning organic matter by 40% and black smoke from vehicles by 50%, whereas earlier the pollution level of the brick kilns was 587%. It will be possible to reduce environmental pollution by using more advanced technology in the existing zigzag kilns. About 50 lakh workers are employed in this industry, where 50 lakh families, i.e. 20 million people, are provided with bread and bread. If the brick kilns are closed, these people will become unemployed. In addition, almost every brick kiln has a bank loan of over 1 crore taka, which is about 8 thousand crore taka. If these kilns are closed, all the bank loans will remain unpaid. Brick kiln owners generate more than thousands of crores of taka in revenue annually.
Later, they submitted a memorandum to protest the closure of Zigzag brick kilns and to resolve the complications of obtaining clearance and licensing of Zigzag brick kilns as stated in the Brick Manufacturing and Kiln Establishment (Control) Act 2013 and the Brick Manufacturing and Kiln Establishment (Control) Act 2019 on behalf of the Bangladesh Brick Manufacturers' Owners' Association.
Finally, they announced a grand rally in Dhaka after Eid and a march to the office of the Chief Advisor if the authorities did not sit down to discuss their proposed demands.
