Kamal Mosharef: This year too, about one and a half thousand brick kilns are expected to produce bricks by burning wood illegally. Apart from this, there is a fear of wood burning in brick kilns that do not have environmental clearance. The number of such brick kilns outside the official count is at least 300. Tangail, Mymensingh, Chittagong, Rajbari, Faridpur, and several districts of North Bengal are among the areas where the use of wood in brick kilns has increased last year. Dhanbari of Tangail; Muktagacha and Rasulpur areas of Mymensingh; In the brick quarries of Raujan, Fatikchari, Rangunia, Chakria, and Hathazari in Chittagong, wood is illegally burnt instead of coal. The names of Khankhanapur, Goaland, Pangsha, and Kalukhali in Rajbari and Madukhali and Alfadanga in Faridpur are also included in this list. According to the data of the Department of Environment, there were 7,881 legal brick kilns in the country in 2021. Apart from this, there are more than 1000 illegal brick quarries. The use of wood in brick kilns is legally prohibited. However, 15 to 20 percent of the country, or more than one and a half thousand brick quarries are burning wood in violation of this ban. The forest area is being destroyed every year. And of the 1,000 illegal brick kilns, at least 30 percent make bricks by burning wood. However, the Department of Environment does not release any official information on this.

According to the information of the Department of Environment and Bangladesh Brick Manufacturers Owners Association, last year the production of bricks was 3 thousand 200 crores. About 5 million tons of coal is being used in this work annually. And one to one and a half million tons of wood is being burned. Various initiatives and campaigns are underway to reduce wood burning in brick kilns.

Again, 11.5 million tons of soil is required to make these bricks. Because of this, the fertile soil of the country`s agricultural land is getting seriously damaged. Similarly, indiscriminate felling of trees is causing deforestation, landslides, erosion, and soil erosion. According to the same source, 18 to 20 tons of wood is required to burn one lakh bricks. If coal is used, 14 to 16 tons are needed to make the same amount of bricks. The Department of Environment is conducting raids in brickyards for various reasons including business operations without the permission of the Department of Environment, and illegal use of wood. Although it reduces the use of wood in brick kilns, it is not as expected. If strict measures are not taken this year, there is a fear of burning more than one lakh tons of wood in one and a half thousand brick kilns.

The use of wood in brick kilns is still high in areas where wood is readily available and in brick kilns in rural areas. Areas where the use of wood in brick kilns increased last year include Tangail, Mymensingh, Chittagong, Rajbari, Faridpur, and some districts of North Bengal. The notable upazilas are Dhanbari of Tangail; Mymensingh`s Muktagacha to Rasulpur; Raujan, Fatikchari, Rangunia, Chakaria and Hathazari upazilas of Chittagong. Khankhanapur, Goaland, Pangsha, and Kalukhali in Rajbari, and Madukhali and Alfadanga in Faridpur are also named in this list.

In this regard, the former director general of the Department of Environment, Sultan Ahmed, said that initiatives should be taken now to reduce the pollution of brick kilns and the use of wood through an integrated plan. Because the brick-burning season is ahead. Prompt action should be taken through effective monitoring of the level of air pollution caused by polluting establishments and the extent of health damage. All organizations must make concerted efforts to enforce the law to stop the use of wood.

Sultan Ahmed said that as the soil is losing its fertility due to brick mining, there is also an environmental risk, and the demand for bricks is increasing with the economic development of the country. But it must be ensured that it does not harm the environment. He said initiative should be taken to use alternative soil in making bricks. Instead of using wood, the efficient use of alternative fuels including coal should be increased.

DhakaUniversity`s Department of Chemistry and US-based consulting firm Arcadis said that 75 percent of the world`s bricks are produced by five Asian countries. China produces 58 percent, India 12 percent, Pakistan 2.5 percent, Vietnam 1.5 percent and Bangladesh 1 percent. Itkhola emits 38 percent of the total black smoke of Bangladesh. Vehicles emit 19 percent black smoke. Apart from this, 18 percent of black smoke is emitted through road dust, 9 percent through soil dust, 7 percent through metal smelters, 7 percent from Zn sources, and 2 percent through ocean salinity. Due to this black smoke, human health is being harmed and the global temperature is also increasing. Experts say that fossil fuels including coal should be burned properly to prevent black smoke. The leaders of the Bangladesh Brick Manufacturers Owners Association did not agree to give a formal statement on other issues including wood burning. They want the development of this sector by acknowledging the need for bricks. They claim that about 85 percent of the country`s brick kilns have been converted to advanced technology through their own efforts and government guidance.