The Department of Environment (DoE) has intensified enforcement alongside public awareness efforts to protect the environment, conducting 24 drives in Rangpur over the past seven months and collecting fines totaling Tk 24 lakh.
According to the DoE, the drives were carried out between December last year and June this year against illegal brick kilns, the use of banned polythene bags, noise pollution, illegal waste tyre pyrolysis plants and facilities producing lead by burning used batteries.
According to the Department of Environment, mobile courts conducted drives against 11 illegal brick kilns over the past seven months, fining them Tk 21.5 lakh, disconnecting electricity to four kilns and demolishing their chimneys and kilns, while also imposing Tk 30,000 in fines for the use of banned polythene bags, Tk 10,700 for excessive noise from vehicle horns, Tk 1.6 lakh on two illegal tyre pyrolysis factories, and Tk 50,000 on an illegal lead-producing furnace that burned used batteries before demolishing the facility with excavators.
Alongside enforcement, the DoE has undertaken awareness programmes to encourage environmental protection. Meetings were organised at Chikli Water Park on preventing soil, water, air and noise pollution and reducing the use of single-use plastic products.
Awareness campaigns were also held at the Deputy Commissioner's Office on April 10 and on April 29 to mark International Noise Awareness Day.
According to the department, most of the penalised brick kilns were operating without environmental clearance or in violation of the Environment Conservation Act and the Brick Manufacturing and Kiln Establishment (Control) Act. Many were using outdated and banned kiln technologies that pose serious threats to the environment, agricultural land and public health.
Investigations found that some kilns had been established on fertile agricultural land, while others were operating close to residential areas.
Officials said Rangpur district has around 240 brick kilns, of which more than 150 are operating illegally without environmental licences or by violating mandatory conditions. The removal of fertile topsoil for brick production has reduced agricultural productivity while contributing to environmental degradation.
However, DoE officials acknowledged that a shortage of manpower and the absence of dedicated executive magistrates have limited their ability to conduct mobile courts and fully enforce environmental laws.
"We are not limited to enforcing the law. Regular drives are continuing against those violating environmental regulations. No environmentally destructive activities will be tolerated," said Md Abdus Salam Sarkar, Deputy Director of the Department of Environment in Rangpur.
He stressed that protecting the environment is not solely the government's responsibility but also that of every citizen, adding that sustainable environmental conservation is impossible without public cooperation.
Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Ruhul Amin said the country's limited natural resources must be used sustainably to ensure a livable planet for future generations.
He also highlighted the importance of forests and tree plantations in maintaining ecological balance, urging people to plant more trees and support environmental protection efforts.
"We have been conducting joint drives with the Department of Environment, but enforcement and fines alone cannot ensure a clean, safe and pollution-free environment. Everyone must contribute from their respective positions," he said.
Rangpur Divisional Commissioner Shahidul Islam said industrialisation and excessive greenhouse gas emissions in developed countries have contributed significantly to global environmental pollution and climate change.
Referring to illegal brick kilns, he said they pose a serious threat to both the environment and agriculture by removing fertile topsoil, reducing land productivity. He urged the administration to continue regular enforcement drives and take strict action against illegal brick kiln operators.