If you’ve lived in Dhaka for even one winter, you’ve probably noticed the haze. The air feels heavier, the skies often look grey, and breathing can feel like a chore. Behind much of this pollution lies something we all use but rarely think about: bricks.
Bricks are the backbone of Bangladesh’s construction industry. Every new building, road, and wall is made from them. But the way these bricks are produced—using thousands of old-fashioned kilns around Dhaka has made the city one of the most polluted in the world.
That’s where green bricks come in. They are cleaner, safer, and far better for the environment. But what exactly are they? And why do they matter so much for Dhaka’s future? Let’s dive deeper into this.
According to the World Bank, Bangladesh produces nearly 27 billion clay bricks each year, making it the fourth-largest brick producer in the world. Most of these are produced in coal-fired kilns, many of which are located around Dhaka.
But why is this a big problem for the people of Dhaka? The major reason for this is air pollution. According to studies, traditional kilns are responsible for nearly 58% of the fine dust pollution in Dhaka’s air. That’s the smog you see hovering over the city. The second major concern is health risks. The smoke that emanates from these coal-fired kilns contains tiny particles that can enter our lungs. Research estimates that pollution from kilns causes around 6,000 premature deaths every year in Bangladesh. These large numbers of deaths are caused by the long-term effects of the environment.
There are also other impacts of the brick kilns, such as soil damage. To make clay bricks, fertile topsoil is dug out of farmlands and riverbanks. That means there is less land available to grow food. In addition to their environmental impact, these brick kilns have a significant climate impact, not only worsening the environment of Bangladesh but also affecting the global climate. Burning coal and wood releases huge amounts of carbon dioxide, adding to global warming.
In short, traditional bricks may be cheap, but the real cost is paid by our lungs, our farms, and our planet. One of the effective and feasible ways to tackle this hazard is the use of green bricks.
Green bricks are eco-friendly alternatives to traditional clay bricks. The most common type in Bangladesh is the concrete block, made from cement, sand, stone dust, or dredged silt. Unlike clay bricks, they are not fired in kilns. Instead, they are cured naturally, often in the sun.
Other forms of green bricks include:
The key idea is simple: no burning coal, no black smoke, no toxic emissions.
Switching from red clay bricks to green bricks could change Dhaka’s environment in remarkable ways:
The government has already taken steps to push this transformation. In 2013, the government 2013 set a goal 2013 for all public projects to use green bricks by 2025. Although the timeline was not achieved according to the plan, the direction is clear: traditional bricks are on their way out.
Authorities have also taken steps to crack down on illegal kilns and offered loans and tax breaks to encourage green brick factories. Today, more than 100 block factories operate across Bangladesh, with more being built every year.
Some private companies were far ahead of their time in terms of shifting towards green brick. Concord Real Estate, for example, introduced eco-friendly concrete blocks as early as 1998 by setting up the country’s first automated green brick plant. Their flagship project, Lake City Concord, became the first housing project in Bangladesh built entirely with green bricks, proving that big developments could happen without polluting kilns. Today, Concord uses green bricks in each of its projects to support sustainable development.
Of course, the shift won’t happen overnight. Clay bricks are still widely used because they’re familiar and easily available. Many small kiln owners lack the money to switch to block factories. And some builders and consumers still need to be convinced that green bricks are just as good, if not better.
But change is coming. With government support, industry pioneers, and rising awareness, the demand for green bricks is growing every year.
Dhaka is one of the fastest-growing cities in the world. How we build today will decide what kind of city future generations inherit. If we keep using traditional bricks, our skies will stay choked with smoke, farmland will continue to vanish, and climate pressures will only rise. But if we adopt green bricks, Dhaka could lead the way as a model of sustainable urban growth. Cleaner air, healthier lives, preserved farmland, and a greener future: these are the promises locked inside every eco-friendly brick.
Green bricks are not just a new building material. They are a solution to some of Dhaka’s biggest problems. They prove that progress doesn’t have to destroy the environment; it can protect it. As more companies, communities, and government projects adopt green bricks, we’ll see the difference in our air, our health, and our future. The bricks that build our homes should not poison the air we breathe. In Dhaka, the path to a cleaner and greener tomorrow is being built.
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