Brick kilns have long been one of the primary drivers of the continued deterioration of our air, which has led to disastrous effects on public health and a feedback loop of environmental destruction. To say that we need to shut down brick kilns for good, especially given that Bangladesh now has access to much more environment-friendly alternatives such as “green bricks,” is not a moot point.
According to a recent Dhaka Tribune report, land grabbers have been sighted digging a pond on government land in Jamalpur who are also selling the extracted soil to brick kilns, with close to 70% of the land having been dug out. What is perhaps more worrying is that the local administration has allegedly turned a blind eye to the matters.
It is truly concerning then that brick kilns are still operating in the outskirts of Dhaka, our capital that frequently tops the list of cities with the worst air quality in the world, despite numerous promises from the administration that they would be phased out. These brick kilns, more often than not, operate illegally, and with absolute impunity if the allegations of government inaction are to be believed.
These veritable smokestacks destroy the environment, and are directly responsible for many life-threatening diseases due to the high volumes of PM2.5 particles they emit. It is not out of the ordinary for the AQI to hover at around 200 in Dhaka, with the PM2.5 concentration often sitting at multiples of the acceptable value as prescribed by the World Health Organization.
Bangladesh already has a sizable disadvantage when it comes to battling the ravages of climate change and its effects, our nation cannot afford to shoot itself in the foot by allowing archaic institutions such as brick kilns to further exacerbate matters.
Brick kilns are an artifact of the past, and must be left behind as such.
