Cutting soil from cropland is a punishable crime under law, but soil is being cut for brick kilns. In Laikunda Union of Ishwardi Upazila of Pabna, there are most of the brick kilns, so the cutting of soil goes on from early morning till late at night. Locals complain that police know about the matter but do not take action.
It is known that the brokers and kiln owners after buying the land from the farmer at a nominal price are cutting the soil with excavator and taking it to the kiln for making bricks. On the other hand, due to the location of brick kilns around the land, the locals also complain that the environment is being damaged and the fertility of the soil is decreasing.
After research, it is known that most vegetables are grown in Lakshmikund union of Ishwardi. The vegetables produced here are supplied by farmers to different districts and upazilas of the country including Dhaka. But the fertility of hundreds of bighas of land is being destroyed by cutting the soil. Agriculture department officials say soil erosion from cropland can be disastrous for agriculture. Soil is a very valuable resource, crops grow from the quality of the soil.
Going to the surface, it can be seen that there are multiple brick kilns near the crop land in Dadapur, Kamalpur, Bilkeda, Babulchara of Laxmikund Union. Soil is being cut from those lands for brick kilns with 9-10 excavator machines and taken to kilns. Apart from this, the wood of various trees is burnt to make bricks in these kilns.
The smoke emitted from this has become a cause of damage to crop production along with environmental damage. Farmers complain but do not get redressal.
Two-three local farmers, on the condition of anonymity, said a powerful syndicate is active in the Lakshikund union in conducting batta operations without valid documents. The syndicate manages everything and runs the operations of the brick kiln. If anyone protested, he was suppressed by threats.
Abul Hashem, general secretary of the central committee of the Farmers Development Society, said that cropland cannot be destroyed by cutting the soil, they do not follow such instructions of the Prime Minister. If necessary, farmers will take to the streets to stop the cutting of maat from the cropland.
Ishwardi Upazila Agriculture Officer Mita Sarkar said in this context, even if there is not much in the lower part of the crop land, all the qualities are in the upper part of the soil. Deforested land will not have the capacity to produce crops. So cutting the soil needs to be stopped.
Ishwardi Upazila Nirbahi Officer Imrul Kayes said, we are also aware of the issue of cutting soil from agricultural land. Apart from that cutting soil from crop land is a legally punishable offence. Action will be taken soon in this regard.