DHAKA, April 11, 2025 (BSS) - In a significant initiative spearheaded by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, the Department of Environment (DoE) conducted a robust nationwide anti-pollution campaign from January 2, 2025, to April 10, 2025. 

The extensive operation targeted various sources of pollution, including vehicles emitting excessive black smoke, illegal brick kilns, steel mills contributing to air pollution, noise pollution, hazardous waste discharge, lead/battery recycling factories, land filling of water bodies, tire pyrolysis, charcoal factories, and the open storage of construction materials causing air pollution. 

A total of 778 mobile court drives were conducted across the country during the period, a ministry press release said. 

These rigorous enforcement actions resulted in 1,663 cases, leading to the imposition and recovery of fines amounting to over Taka 24 crore.

Simultaneously, the chimneys of 438 illegal brick kilns were demolished, effectively ceasing their operations entirely. 

Stern directives for closure were also issued to 210 brick kilns. Furthermore, raw bricks at 124 kilns were destroyed, and the electricity connections of 7 brick kilns were disconnected. 

One person was also sentenced to one month jail, the press release said.

 In a crackdown on lead pollution, equipment for smelting lead/batteries was seized from seven establishments, resulting in the closure of these factories.

Separately, on April 10, 2025, six mobile court drives were conducted in the Dhaka Metropolitan areas of Gulshan-1 & 2, Matuail, Aminbazar, Mohammadpur, and Narayanganj, targeting air pollution caused by construction materials.

 These drives led to 5 cases and realised over Taka 2.59 lakh from polluters.

On the same day, an anti-pollution drive in the Aminbazar area of Dhaka Metropolitan City targeted an illegal lead-acid battery smelting factory. 

The factory was dismantled, and the lead battery smelting equipment was confiscated. 

In Gazipur, an operation against the filling of water bodies resulted in a warning issued to one individual, along with a directive to restore the pond to its original condition within five days. 

Moreover, in Manikganj and Dinajpur districts, two mobile court drives against illegal brick kilns led to 8 cases and the imposition of Taka 1.9 lakh in fine.

During these actions, the chimney and raw bricks of one brick kiln were demolished, and the electricity connections of six brick kilns were severed.

The DoE has affirmed its commitment to continuing such anti-pollution drives in the future.