Bangladesh is moving to use more concrete blocks in public construction, with Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Abdul Awal Mintoo saying the government will prioritize blocks over traditional bricks in government projects and look for ways to expand block use.
Mintoo framed the shift as an environmental and land protection issue, pointing to the need to reduce air pollution and carbon emissions while protecting agricultural land fertility. He called for coordinated action across ministries, government engineering departments, manufacturers, and other stakeholders to balance environmental goals with construction needs.
At one meeting focused on eco-friendly construction materials, officials reviewed progress on requiring blocks in government construction, repair, and renovation work. Representatives from multiple ministries, government engineering departments, the Department of Environment, the Housing and Building Research Institute, and the Bangladesh Concrete Block Manufacturer Owners’ Association took part. Participants discussed proposals tied to customs duties and taxes on imported raw materials, reducing VAT at the production stage, allowing VAT rebates on raw material purchases, and offering incentives tied to recycling industrial and construction waste.
Quality control also surfaced as a key issue. The meeting discussed involving the Public Works Department and the Housing and Building Research Institute in monitoring, along with training for engineers, technicians, and masons to support block quality in the field.
A second meeting addressed pressures on Bangladesh’s brick industry, including environmental compliance, raw materials, fuel use, and the transition to cleaner, more modern production. Brick industry groups called for action against illegal kilns, a move away from using agricultural topsoil in brick-making, and expanded automatic brick production alongside eco-friendly block production.
Read the full, original article from The Business Standard here.