Eco-friendly hollow concrete blocks transform construction in Thakurgaon

In response to a growing need for eco-friendly construction materials and as a substitute for conventional bricks, hollow concrete blocks are making a significant impact on the construction landscape in the northwestern district of Thakurgaon.

Since the establishment of the first hollow block factory in the district in the Parpugi village in 2019, this innovative construction material has gained much popularity for its cost-effectiveness, durability, and eco-friendly credentials. 

Currently, 30 entrepreneurs are actively engaged in hollow block production.

In recent times, many establishments in the district, including libraries, mosques, and privately owned buildings, are now being constructed using hollow blocks.

During a recent visit to the district, this correspondent explored a hollow block factory located in Paltan village of Aksa union, 10km from Thakurgaon Sadar. This facility employs modern machinery to produce environmentally friendly bricks using fly ash, cement, sand, and stone chips.

The entire factory is run by only six workers. Two of them handle the placement of sand and stone chips, while another pair manages the storage of cement and fly ash. The operation of the brick-making machine is overseen by one worker, and a separate team member collects the newly produced bricks using a small vehicle. All the workers at the factory were seen equipped with safety gear.

Workers say it is possible to make 20,000 bricks every 8 hours in the machine called Vibro Cavity of the factory.

The machine was skillfully operated by a 22-year-old youth, Al-Amin (not real name). He said he completed his education up to class eight and then acquired training in hollow-block machine operation through an NGO called Eco-Social Development Organisation (ESDO).

According to Al-Amin, the process of producing hollow blocks is remarkably straightforward, requiring no strenuous effort. "I go home every day wearing the same clothes I wore to the factory. In contrast, those working in traditional brick kilns endure hard labour, with burnt brick and dirt soiling their attire."

While the brick-making machine operates, the noise level is no louder than that of an electric car. Notably, the entire process is environmentally friendly, emitting no smoke whatsoever.

Surrounding the factory are expansive crop fields, where farmers are currently harvesting paddy. These eco-friendly factories pose no threat to the farmland, ensuring minimal impact on the environment.

Zainal Abedin, resident of Hajipara village, has recently constructed a house using hollow blocks. According to him, not only has the aesthetic appeal of the house improved, but the overall cost has also decreased.

The Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation (PKSF) is implementing the project through the Sustainable Enterprise Project (SEP) scheme with funding from the World Bank. ESDO is involved in supporting the implementation of this project at the rural level.

Rabiul Islam, proprietor of the hollow block factory in Paltan village, highlighted that the government is taking action against illegal brick kilns and refraining from issuing licences for new ones. Simultaneously, there is a government initiative to transition to 100% eco-friendly concrete blocks in the construction sector by 2025.

"I have a sand and stone business. I decided to establish the factory after receiving encouragement from ESDO during a training programme, where they emphasised its profitability," he said.

"At the beginning of this year, I established the factory on a 1.5-acre plot of land. Surprisingly, six workers can produce around 20,000 bricks daily. In contrast, a traditional brick factory would require over 50 workers to achieve the same production, along with 10-15 acres of land," he added.

"In the initial stages, the demand for these bricks was limited among the public, but now we are selling 5,000-6,000 bricks daily. Furthermore, our bricks are increasingly being used in government construction projects."

Officials say the primary goal of the project is to initiate environmentally sustainable practices in targeted micro-enterprises. Currently, 64 sub-projects spanning 30 different economic sub-sectors are being executed in 37 districts across the country through 47 subsidiary organisations of PKSF under this initiative.

Humayun Kabir, project engineer at ESDO, told TBS that construction with eco-friendly solid and hollow blocks costs around 25% to 30% less than burnt-clay bricks. These blocks offer fire resistance, sound insulation, earthquake resilience, and minimal water absorption compared to traditional bricks.

Dr Muhammad Shaheed Uz Zaman, founding executive director of ESDO, said initially, entrepreneurs exhibited reluctance to venture into the business of these blocks. However, there is now a significant and positive response from both entrepreneurs and buyers alike.