Environment Adviser orders suspension of brick kilns in Savar

Environment Adviser to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Syeda Rizwana Hassan, has called for the complete suspension of brick kiln operations in Savar upazila for the upcoming season to enforce the area’s declared degraded airshed zone.

Speaking at a high-level meeting organized by the Department of Environment (DoE) in Agargaon, Dhaka, she emphasized that no kilns should be allowed to operate, as continued emissions are worsening public health risks in the heavily industrialized region.

"The government has declared Savar as a degraded airshed. To implement this, no brick kiln can reopen in the next season," said Rizwana Hassan, urging owners to follow government orders.

She warned that mobile courts will be deployed, with cooperation from various government agencies, to shut down violators. Special enforcement actions—including nighttime raids—will target illegal activities such as open garbage burning, unlicensed pyrolysis factories, and illegal lead smelters.

She also directed authorities to impose fines and seize materials when construction supplies are stored or transported in open spaces, contributing to dust pollution.

Rizwana Hassan underscored the need for public awareness, suggesting that newspaper notices and educational campaigns be launched to inform citizens about air pollution and its dangers.

“If we all work together—citizens, businesses, and government—we can restore our damaged air quality and ensure a healthier life for the next generation,” she said.

The meeting was chaired by Director General of the Department of Environment, Dr Kamruzzaman NDC, and attended by Dr Farhina Ahmed, Secretary of the Ministry of Environment, as the special guest.

Other participants included Deputy Commissioner Tanvir Ahmed, Superintendent of Police Anisuzzaman, DoE Director of Air Quality Management Ziaul Haque, and representatives from Dhaka North City Corporation and other relevant ministries.

Savar, which hosts a large number of kilns and unregulated industrial operations, has consistently ranked among the most polluted zones in Bangladesh, prompting the government’s urgent response.