500 illegal brick kilns to be demolished: Environment Minister

Rtv news

24 Jan 2024, 16:57

Environment Minister Saber Hossain Chowdhury has announced that 500 out of the 1,000 illegal brick kilns surrounding Dhaka will be dismantled as part of the upcoming 100-day programme to combat air pollution.

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He made this statement during a press conference after a courtesy meeting with French Ambassador to Bangladesh Marie Masdupui at his office in the Secretariat on Wednesday (January 24) afternoon.

Also present during the meeting were Guillaume Audrein de Kerdrel, First Counselor and Deputy Head of Mission at the French Embassy in Dhaka, Economic Adviser Julien Deur, AfD Country Director in Bangladesh Cecilia Cortes, and others.

Minister Chowdhury emphasised the importance of identifying pollution sources before taking action.

He expressed the intention to issue alerts when air quality poses health risks, advising the public to stay indoors for non-essential tasks and follow WHO recommendations on wearing masks.

Minister Chowdhury outlined the government's commitment to addressing various contributors to pollution, including cement-sand transportation and construction work in Dhaka.

He stressed the need for collective cooperation and announced that the 100-day program details would be revealed the following day (Thursday).

When asked about the number of illegal brick kilns and the progress of demolitions, the minister referred to court estimates of approximately 2,000 illegal brick kilns.

He explained the focus on identifying permanent chimneys around Dhaka and set a target to dismantle an average of three to four brick kilns per day, with the goal of crushing 500 brick kilns over 100 working days.

Regarding discussions with France, the minister highlighted climate and environment as crucial aspects of bilateral relations between Bangladesh and France.

He deeply mentioned the interest of the French President in a climate adaptation agreement between the two countries, and the ongoing discussions focused on identifying priorities for that agreement.

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