Appellate Division dismisses six appeals filed by brick kiln owners

Bangla Press Desk:   The Appellate Division on Monday dismissed six appeals filed by brick kiln owners from different parts of the country, upholding earlier court directives to demolish illegally established brick kilns.

The appeals were filed against High Court orders passed in a public interest litigation (PIL) lodged by Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh (HRPB), which directed the eviction of brick kilns operating without valid licences in various districts.

Following the High Court verdict, eviction drives against illegal kilns were initiated nationwide.

Earlier, brick kiln owners had sought modification of the eviction orders to allow continued operation. Although the High Court, led by Justice Farah Mahbub, made limited modifications, it upheld the core directive to demolish illegal brick kilns.

Challenging the High Court ruling, six kiln owners: N Brick of Netrokona, MC Bricks of Rangpur, ARS Bricks and ST Bricks of Netrokona, Tanzila Bricks of Jashore and HBC Bricks of Gaibandha, filed appeals with the Appellate Division.

Amid reports that some illegal kilns were continuing operations using pending cases and administrative support, senior advocate Munzill Murshid sought urgent hearings on the appeals. Acting on the petition, the chamber judge sent the cases to a full bench.

After hearing the matter, a bench headed by Chief Justice Zubayer Rahman Chowdhury, along with Justices Mohammad Rezaul Haque and SM Emdadul Haque, dismissed all six appeals.

Senior advocate Munzill Murshid, appearing for the writ petitioners, said kiln owners had repeatedly filed appeals to obstruct ongoing eviction drives but the courts consistently rejected their attempts.

BP/TD