Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Shahab Uddin on Sunday said the government will gradually shut down all unauthorized brick kilns in an attempt to control air pollution in the country.
"The government has already shut down nearly 600 illegal brick kilns across the country and all such illegal brick kilns would be closed down in phases," he said while responding to a question made by Workers Party lawmaker Begum Lutfun Nesa Khan of women’s seat-48 in the parliament.
There are more than 6000 brick kilns which cater for 99% of the 17 billion pieces of the country’s annual brick requirement, reports BSS.
In the process, the kilns emit large quantities of environmental pollutants into the atmosphere causing harmful impact on agricultural yields, climate and health.
Terming the air pollution as a cross-cutting issue, the minister said the government has already taken short, medium and long term plans incorporating all the concerned ministries, divisions and agencies.
