<div><span style="font-size: 1rem;"><b>Environment, Forests and Climate Change Saber Hossain Chowdhury on Tuesday said the country has to move on from the present traditional method of making bricks to an eco-friendly method.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>“Closing or demolishing brick kilns is not the only solution. We have to move from the present traditional method of making bricks to an eco-friendly method. We are looking towards block bricks,” he said.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>The Minister said this while replying to a supplementary question of ruling party MP elected from Laxmipur-2 Nur Uddin Chowdhury Noyon in Parliament.</div><div><br></div><div>He also said in Bangladesh every year 13 crore metric tons of agricultural soil is used for brick kilns.</div><div><br></div><div>“That has implications over food security of the country, That is why we are trying to move towards block brick,” he said.</div><div><br></div><div>Saber Hossain Chowdhury said that some 500 brick kilns have been identified initially.</div><div><br></div><div>“Each brick kiln produces an average of 5 million bricks each year, which is 250 crores in total. Currently the capacity of producing block bricks is 300 crores,” he said.</div><div><br></div><div>As instructed by the Prime Minister, the Minister said, we will move towards eco-friendly bricks.</div><div><br></div><div>“We will close the existing brick kilns in a planned way. So that the development will not be disrupted, the price of bricks should not increase.”</div><div><br></div><div>He wants the cooperation of the MPs to increase the use of block brick rapidly within the next 1-2 years. - UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>