In Manikganj, brick kilns are choking nature, agriculture and life
For the people of Manikganj, the hope is straightforward: survival depends on converting kilns to environmentally friendly technologies. Without change, more agricultural land will disappear, and the health of the next generation will face irreversible harm
Four brick kilns stand side by side, encircled by stretches of arable land. The kilns occupy a vast area, where labourers hurry between mounds of clay and long rows of raw bricks laid out to dry. Just beyond them lie fields of winter crops. Cutting through that greenery day and night, black smoke pours out from the chimneys, streaking the sky with dark lines. The overall scene is suffocating.
This is what greets visitors upon entering Jamirta union in Singair upazila of Manikganj. The kilns sit directly beside the union parishad office. As the dry season nears its end, all four kilns are operating at full capacity. For local farmers, however, this has brought deep distress.
Farmer Mohammad Hanif set out early one morning towards his land. This season he sowed mustard on three pakis (a local unit of land measurement equivalent to a bigha). Now, the crop is in a pitiable state. A thick layer of dust blankets much of the field.
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"Since these kilns started operating, we farmers are being ruined," he said.
Manikganj: The district of kilns
On one side of the Dhaleshwari River lies Savar, on the other, Manikganj. Crossing the river brings travellers to Singair, the first upazila of the district. Even before entering the area, convoys of trucks laden with bricks are visible. After crossing the river, the number of trucks multiplies, and the air grows heavy with noise, smoke and dust.
The roadside trees in Singair appear lifeless, coated in a thick reddish film. Even when leaving the Dhaka–Manikganj highway for village roads, the landscape hardly changes. Every few minutes, a truck roars past, raising clouds of dust.
Beside the roads, unplanned ponds and pits scar the agricultural land, as though the soil has been gouged out of the earth. The area seems to have lost its vitality.
This is not only Singair's reality. Across Manikganj, wherever brick kilns operate, the same picture emerges. Areas along the highway in particular have turned into discoloured, ghostly landscapes. The reason is widely understood: Manikganj supplies the raw materials for the brick-and-mortar houses of Dhaka and surrounding districts.
Hundreds of kilns — both legal and illegal — are scattered across the district.
The brick-making season runs from November to June. During these dry months, the air in Manikganj becomes its most oppressive. Smoke and dust combine to create a suffocating atmosphere.
According to the Department of Environment (DoE), there are 124 kilns in the district. Locals believe the actual number is higher. Despite repeated complaints about hardship and pollution, kiln owners remain indifferent, residents say. As the business expands, new kilns appear each year.
Travelling along the Dhaka–Manikganj road, one encounters kilns every few minutes. In recent years, multiple kilns have been established near Kholapara, Deboltoli, and Mitra Bus Stand. In the Baldhara union alone, there are 36 kilns. Official data indicates that of the 124 kilns, 101 are legal, leaving at least 23 operating illegally.
A booming business
A single brick kiln produces an average of seven to eight million bricks annually, most of which are supplied to various parts of Dhaka. Due to the relatively short distance from the capital, transport costs remain low. A thousand bricks from Manikganj cost between Tk10,000 and Tk11,000 — cheaper than in many other areas. As a result, kiln owners are increasing production to capture Dhaka's vast construction market.
To attract buyers, kiln operators run regular promotional campaigns on social media, frequently offering discounted prices. Many sell bricks wholesale to large traders even before the season begins, which puts pressure on them to maintain high output by any means necessary. Locals say competition for market dominance is intensifying.
Moinul Haq, manager of THB Bricks in Jamirta, stated that almost all nearby kilns operate with the Dhaka market in mind. He claimed that securing two specific licences ensures smooth operations: one from the deputy commissioner and one from the DoE.
"We have no administrative trouble. Our certificates are valid until 2027. We are doing business according to the rules," he said.
Yet it is ordinary residents who bear the consequences of this expanding trade. As profits rise, so too does the toll on local lives.
Damage to fruit and crops
On Google Maps, the dominance of brick kilns in Manikganj is clearly visible. The reddish structures stand out starkly against the green surroundings. The imagery shows extensive excavation around the kilns, leaving behind large, waterlogged pits.
Most kilns are situated adjacent to agricultural land, and the impact on crops is direct. Local farmer Nazimuddin, who owns around 7.5 bighas of land, said the yields his ancestors once harvested are now a distant memory.
Mohammad Hanif echoed this decline, "I used to get 20 maunds of rice from one paki. Now I don't get more than 12 to 14 maunds. A third of my crop is gone."
The condition of nearby homes is equally troubling. Residents attempt to block dust by covering doors and windows with paper, but to little effect. Mohammad Alam, a local resident, said pollution has made daily life unbearable. The fruit trees in his yard no longer bear produce. Of his 12 coconut trees, not one now yields fruit.
Kobita Sarkar of Bayra Union sees little resemblance between the village of her childhood and today's reality. Once, the land was rich with diverse crops; now it is riddled with pits. "Our air was once so clear. People farmed their own land. Now many have become kiln labourers, working all day in heat and dust. Almost everyone is suffering from disease," she said.
Shahjahan Siraj, deputy director of the Manikganj District Agricultural Extension Department, explained that the most severe impact is on the topsoil.
"When topsoil is removed for brick-making, the land loses its core nutrients. The hot air from kilns hampers pollination. In rice fields, pollination decreases and grains become sterile. Other crops also suffer reduced pollination rates," he said.
Siraj added that stripping topsoil depletes organic matter, microbes, and essential nutrients, reducing productivity both immediately and in the long term. Seasonal fruits are similarly affected. "Mango blossoms may drop, blacken or become deformed. Many kilns burn wood as fuel, contributing to deforestation. Once a kiln is established, that land is no longer suitable for cultivation."
A major threat to life
The proliferation of kilns has visibly affected human health. Many operate close to residential areas. In Deboltoli, locals report that three to four kilns once stood beside a kindergarten. The school has since closed, but children had attended classes amid smoke and dust.
Dr Syed Imtiaz Ahmed, Resident Medical Officer at Singair Upazila Health Complex, said the hazard extends beyond immediate neighbours.
Dr Ismat Jahan Bhuiyan, Manikganj Upazila Health and Family Planning Officer, highlighted a rise in respiratory illnesses, allergies, and cold-related diseases, particularly among children and the elderly.
At the Singair Upazila Health Complex, the patient queue tells its own story. Parents carry children with persistent coughs and fevers; others struggle with breathing difficulties. Dr Saima Talukdar noted that on some days, up to 80% of patients present with cold-related or respiratory conditions. "The most alarming part is that the majority are children," she said.
What is the solution?
Under the Brick Making and Brick Kiln Establishment (Control) Act, 2013, soil cut from agricultural land, hills, or hillocks cannot be used for brick production. Soil may only be collected from dead ponds, canals, rivers, or fallow land with permission from the deputy commissioner. The law also prohibits establishing kilns in residential, protected, commercial, or agricultural areas.
When topsoil is removed for brick-making, the land loses its core nutrients. The hot air from kilns hampers pollination. In rice fields, pollination decreases and grains become sterile. Other crops also suffer reduced pollination rates. Mango blossoms may drop, blacken or become deformed. Many kilns burn wood as fuel, contributing to deforestation. Once a kiln is established, that land is no longer suitable for cultivation.
In Manikganj, however, reality diverges sharply from legislation. Licensed or illegal, many kilns stand beside farms or near homes, exposing a clear gap between law and enforcement.
Kiln owners deny wrongdoing. They reject claims of forcibly cutting soil from local farmland, insisting that most excavated land belongs to them or has been acquired with consent.
Moinul Haq maintained that soil collection is handled by contractors. "We buy soil from contractors at Tk16 per cubic foot. Soil is not taken by force," he said, adding that their chimneys comply with DoE regulations requiring a height of 130 feet. The manager of Awal Bricks in Kholapara made similar assertions, stating they operate with proper licences and adhere to regulations.
Muhammad Abdullah Al Mamun, deputy director of the Department of Environment, said a drive was conducted in Manikganj Sadar upazila on 28 December. "We inspected five kilns. Two chimneys were demolished, and the other three were fined a total of Tk1.8 million," he said.
He added that regular drives are attempted, though kiln owners often resume operations once authorities depart. "If we had sufficient executive magistrates to conduct mobile courts, we could evict these kilns. For example, we could not run mobile courts in the last two months due to the elections," he said.
Despite these actions, locals say relief remains elusive. They allege kiln owners continue operations through political and financial influence.
Experts urge a transition to eco-friendly construction materials. On 24 November 2019, the government issued a gazette notification mandating 100% eco-friendly blocks in government construction by 2025. That target has yet to be fully realised.
The Housing and Building Research Institute (HBRI), under the Ministry of Housing and Public Works, has researched alternative materials for decades. Yet widespread adoption remains limited, and dependence on traditional brick kilns continues.
For the people of Manikganj, the hope is straightforward: survival depends on converting kilns to environmentally friendly technologies. Without change, more agricultural land will disappear, and the health of the next generation will face irreversible harm.
