DHAKA, Nov 2, 2022 (BSS) - Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Md Shahab Uddin today said the government has taken a project to set a target for using hundred percent block bricks in construction  within 2025 aiming to reduce environmental pollution throughout the country.
 
“We have launched a project for hundred percent use of blocks particularly in the public sector construction within the stipulated period of 2025 to protect the country from various environmental hazards due to traditional brick production from the brick kilns”, said the minister.

The minister said this responding to an important public notice presented by treasury bench lawmaker Kazimuddin Ahmed of Mymensingh-11 at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban here.
 
Shahbuddin said the government already has enacted ‘Brick Manufacturing and Brick Kiln Establishment (Control) (Amendment) Bill, 2019’ aiming to shut down all the illegal brick kilns across the country. “We have already shut down many illegal brick kilns throughout the country and all the brick kilns would be shut down in phases”, he told the parliament.

The traditional brick manufacturing method that burns coal causes ‘a lot of damage’ to the environment, according to DoE officials. It damages agricultural lands, especially the topsoil, and brings health hazards to people.

The workplan to gradually increase the use of block bricks instead of soil bricks in government construction, renovation and roadworks in villages have been made mandatory under the Brick Manufacturing and Brick Kiln Establishment (Control) Act, said the minister.

During the dry season, 58 percent of the country’s air pollution is caused by the brick kilns, according to the DoE.

The country currently has 8,033 brickfields in 64 districts. Only 5,225 of them received environment certificates.

On the other hand, environment-friendly technology is used in 5,798 brickfields while environment-friendly chimneys are used in 72 percent of the kilns.