Photo : PID

DHAKA, July 15, 2026 (BSS) - Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Abdul Awal Mintoo today warned that wood must not be used as fuel in brick kilns under any circumstances.

“There is still no complete alternative to bricks. Therefore, instead of shutting down brick kilns, emphasis should be placed on reducing pollution from them. Pollution must be reduced through the adoption of new technologies,” he said.
The minister made the remarks at a views-exchange meeting with representatives of the Bangladesh Bricks Manufacturing Owners Association (BBMOA) at the ministry's conference room at the Secretariat here.

The meeting was held to discuss the environmental impacts of the brick kiln industry, air quality management, and various issues relating to pollution control.

Mintoo said that using topsoil for brick production destroys the fertility of agricultural land. As a result, the amount of cultivable land is decreasing day by day. Alternative arrangements must be explored, he added.

State Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Sheikh Faridul Islam said no concession would be given regarding illegal brick kilns. The use of coal with high sulphur content in brick kilns pollutes the environment, he said, stressing that it is essential to formulate quality standards for coal used in brick kilns.

A delegation led by Bangladesh Bricks Manufacturing Owners Association Central President Firoz Haidar Khan and Secretary General Momin Ullah Khan, along with advisers and vice-presidents from different districts of the country, attended the meeting.

The meeting placed special emphasis on producing bricks through sustainable and environment-friendly technologies and reducing environmental pollution. 

Leaders of the association also presented their various demands and proposals. 

It was decided at the meeting that their reasonable demands would be taken into consideration.

Acting Secretary of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Dr Fahmida Khanam chaired the meeting.