Around 59pc brick kilns operating illegally, says minister

Around 59 per cent of the brick kilns in the country are being operated illegally without environmental clearance. 

Minister of Environment, Forests and Climate Change Shahab Uddin gave this information on Tuesday in response to a tabled question of ruling party lawmaker Mamunur Rashid Kiran in parliament, reports UNB.

The minister said that the total number of brick kilns in the country (June 2022) is 7881.

Of these, 3,248 are being operated legally.  But 4,633 brick kilns are operating without environmental clearance.

The minister said 41.2 per cent of the brick kilns are legal and 58.8 per cent are illegal.

The minister said that from 2019 to 2022, some 1,772 drives were conducted and some of Tk 77.62 crore was collected from 3,37 brick kilns.

Besides, 907 brick kilns were shut and 80 people were sentenced to various terms of imprisonment.

In response to the question of ruling party MP M Abdul Latif of the government party, the minister said that about 30,000 tonnes solid wastes are generated in the cities of Bangladesh every day.

In 2025, the quantity of daily waste will increase to 47,000 tonnes.

The minister said that about 10 percent of  the solid waste is plastic.