Bandarban Correspondent

Government’s development work worth thousands of crores of rupees is under threat in Bandarban.People of various professions involved in these development works are suffering from silent fear.In view of this,there has been a demand to keep the brick kiln established keeping nature and environment in mind at Bandarban district headquarters.If not,the development works will be hindered, the conscious community has expressed.

Those concerned said that thousands of crores of development works are currently going on in Bandarban district including the border road.Implementation of these development works is not possible without bricks.In order to continue these works, 21 brick kilns are being produced and marketed in Bandarban based on the judgment given by the Supreme Court in 2012.

Complaints of collecting soil by cutting hills for brick kilns set up in some upazilas of Bandarban are very old.However,due to the administration’s surveillance of 21 brick kilns,there is no opportunity to cut the hill and collect the soil.The owners of these brick kilns said that considering the nature and environment, these brick kilns have been set up far away from the locality.To complete the development works of Bandarban,no alternative source of these brick kilns is visible so far.

Questions have also arisen as to how these development works will be implemented when the kilns are closed.However, although the implementation agencies of these development works do not say anything publicly, they themselves are worried about the implementation of these developments by the government at the right time.The contractors who are implementing the development works of thousands of crores of tk claim that now bricks are being procured at the price set by the government.

If the supply of bricks from these kilns is stopped then it is not possible to complete the works with the money fixed by the government.In this,everyone will have to face multifaceted problems.If you have to buy bricks from neighboring districts and work,the price of each brick will be double the current price.Also the kilns provide livelihood to more than ten thousand people and families.

In the recent floods,a large number of rural roads,inter-upazila roads and other infrastructures were severely damaged.If the brick kilns are closed down,the repair work of these damaged roads and infrastructure will also be hindered.It should be noted that in 2012,21 brick kilns are conducting production and marketing activities according to the judgment of the Supreme Court.These brick kilns deposit more than eight lakh Tk to the government treasury as VAT,income tax and land tax per year.