Amend National Building Code to allow use of high-strength steel
Moderated by Sharier Khan, Senior Executive Editor of The Business Standard, the discussion emphasised that tackling environmental challenges requires more than just “green branding”
To make the country's steel sector environmentally friendly and sustainable, the use of latest technology and reform in building code are essential, experts have said at a roundtable titled "Bangladesh Steel Industry: Driving Sustainability, Seismic Resilience, and Advanced Refined Steel for Maximum Consumer Satisfaction" jointly organised by The Business Standard and Abul Khair Steel in Dhaka.
Moderated by Sharier Khan, Senior Executive Editor of The Business Standard, the discussion emphasised that tackling environmental challenges requires more than just "green branding."
SYEDA RIZWANA HASAN
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE ADVISER
The steel industry remains one of the most carbon-intensive and environmentally polluting industries in the world. The entire process of steel production is so dependent on electricity and water that making it ecologically sustainable is nearly impossible.
You cannot achieve zero carbon in this industry. You can only take green initiatives such as refined steel manufacturing, solar energy use, rainwater harvesting, electric arc furnace adoption, and maintaining green spaces — these will reduce emissions, but the industry can never be zero-carbon.
If Bangladesh's steel industry truly wants to be sustainable, the first step must be policy and technological reform — not simply painting things green. Green branding does not bring real sustainability; we must adopt genuine sustainable practices.
We now too easily paint something green or obtain certificates and call it 'sustainable'. But merely earning certificates on paper does not make an industry sustainable unless its core operations change.
Development that destroys the natural resource base can never be called sustainable. Sustainability is not about lighting up conferences and giving speeches — it must be reflected in laws and policies. If laws and policies lack integrity, everything will remain only in green colour, without real change.
Sustainability does not mean only economic viability; it also requires maintaining environmental balance. Business alone cannot make a society sustainable. Protecting oxygen, water, and the environment for future generations — that is true sustainability.
PROFESSOR DR MD AMINUL ISLAM
DEPARTMENT OF MATERIALS AND METALLURGICAL ENGINEERING, BUET
The shift from low-strength to high-strength steel can play a crucial role in building a strong and green Bangladesh. The global trend is toward lightweight structures. Worldwide, about 10% of total CO₂ emissions come from the steel industry and 8% from the cement industry, together accounting for nearly 18%.
Replacing 400-grade bars with 500-grade and 30MPa concrete with 60MPa concrete can achieve around 28% weight reduction. This replacement is not just a policy shift – it's a dream to build a strong and sustainable Bangladesh.
Using more steel alone doesn't make a building earthquake-resistant; rather, using high-strength, well-designed materials does. If we want to save our country, we must focus on quality and efficiency.
Around 61% of building damage in earthquakes occurs due to structural failure. To save lives, we must design earthquake-resistant structures and reduce the weight of buildings. This is what the world is now focusing on—lightweight, high-strength, and environmentally responsible construction.
SHEIKH SHABAB AHMED
GROUP HEAD, CORPORATE AFFAIRS & LEGAL, ABUL KHAIR GROUP
Our foremost challenge today is to build earthquake resistant, cost efficient and environmentally responsible infrastructures across Bangladesh. For this, the use of high-strength steel is indispensable. High-strength steel not only enhances structural safety and ductility but also ensures material optimisation, achieving up to 28% weight reduction in building structures without compromising strength or durability.
At Abul Khair Steel (AKS), we are proud to be the first steel manufacturer in Bangladesh to bring 100% refined steel to the market, ensuring consistency, purity and strength that meet global benchmarks such as ASTM, Eurocode and BDS-ISO standards.
Abul Khair Steel remains deeply committed to sustainability. We have eliminated groundwater use through zero-groundwater operations and we are harvesting 100% rainwater and reusing it through advanced treatment plants. Our facilities are also integrating solar power systems, enabling part of our electricity demand to be met directly from renewable energy sources.
It is important to note that nearly 70% of all construction works in Bangladesh are carried out under the Government's Annual Development Programme (ADP). Therefore, policy intervention in this segment will have the greatest national impact on cost efficiency, safety and sustainability. The Bangladesh National Building Code (BNBC) now needs to be revised and modernised to mandate and encourage the use of high-strength steel in all national development works.
Such a policy will ensure cost-effective, weight minimising and seismically resilient infrastructure, helping Bangladesh transition towards a sustainable, durable, green and eco-friendly future, fully aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and our collective aspiration to build a safer nation for the next generation and beyond.
We urge all stakeholders, including manufacturers, environmental agencies, national development authorities, NBR and others relevant institutions, to work collectively in this national mission. Only through such collaboration can Bangladesh emerge as a global example of resilience, sustainability and green growth. For us, this is the need of the hour, and we strongly believe that the policy on high-strength steel should be implemented without delay to ensure a safer, smarter and stronger Bangladesh.
MD SHAMSUDDOHA
ADDITIONAL CHIEF ENGINEER (P&SP), PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT
While steel is an essential component of development, its environmental impacts must also be considered. In our country, around 10% of carbon emissions come from the steel industry and 8% from cement. Both sectors must adopt modern technologies and reuse systems.
Sustainable construction will not be possible unless the Bangladesh National Building Code (BNBC) and the Bangladesh Building Regulatory Authority (BBRA) are fully enforced. It is time to update the code and include new standards ranging from 500-grade to 700-grade steel.
MD NURUL ISLAM
CHIEF ENGINEER, RAJUK
Companies would adopt refined and high-quality steel products if their usage could be increased. About 70% of this industry's output is used in government projects.
Although companies are now producing rods up to 700-grade, under the BNBC we still cannot use anything above 500-grade. We are training our manpower and making our structures suitable for green construction. But without amending the BNBC, a green industry will not be possible.
SHAMSUDDIN ILLIUS
CHATTOGRAM BUREAU CHIEF, TBS
We are moving beyond conventional steelmaking toward a new era of sustainable and high-performance steel production that ensures both environmental responsibility and economic resilience.
The industry's transformation – from rerolling and ship-breaking in the early decades to refined, automated, and eco-efficient operations today – reflects Bangladesh's growing industrial strength and technological capability.
Sustainable steel is not just an environmental need; it is an economic and strategic imperative. By embracing energy efficiency, high-strength standards, and digital quality assurance, Bangladesh can position itself as a regional leader in resilient and low-carbon steel production.
DR SUMON CHOWDHURY
SECRETARY GENERAL, BANGLADESH STEEL MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION
The biggest challenge for Bangladesh's steel industry right now is capacity. Everyone has invested without proper market studies, resulting in a large portion of capacity lying idle. Regulatory bodies must work to make the existing capacity greener and more sustainable. The Chattogram Port must be made more dynamic. The BNBC and PWD need to change their policies and promote the use of quality products.
At present, the total production capacity of Bangladesh's steel industry is about 12 million tonnes, while actual market demand is only 6–7 million tonnes. Every year, the country imports 5–5.5 million tonnes of scrap metal, while less than one million tonnes are sourced locally.
M ZAKIR HOSSAIN KHAN
CHIEF EXECUTIVE, CHANGE INITIATIVE
The use of renewable energy in steel production would not only reduce costs but also position Bangladesh as a regional leader in green steel manufacturing. In the future, compliance with ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) standards will be unavoidable for survival in the international market.
MD SHAMIM
EXECUTIVE ENGINEER AND PROJECT DIRECTOR, CHATTOGRAM DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY
High-strength steel plays a vital role in maintaining structural stability during earthquakes. However, imbalance arises if the strength of steel and concrete does not match in design. We now use concrete up to 6000 PSI, but if the quality of concrete is not improved in line with advances in steel, structural risks will remain. Therefore, both steel and concrete standards must be improved simultaneously.
SHARMIN SULTAN JOYA
CHIEF PEOPLE OFFICER, GPH ISPAT
In 2020, the environment, forest and climate change ministry identified the industrial sector — particularly the steel sector — as one of the key areas for carbon emission reduction. To achieve this goal, modernisation through electric furnaces, renewable energy, and scrap circularity is essential.
GPH Ispat has already made revolutionary progress towards this goal. In 2020, we began commercial production using the world's most advanced Quantum Electric Arc Furnace (Q-EAF) technology. This allows a saving of 235 kg of carbon per tonne of steel produced.
SOHANUR RAHMAN
EXECUTIVE COORDINATOR, YOUTHNET GLOBAL
To enhance the durability of buildings and bridges, policy reforms and improvements in infrastructure quality are essential. The private sector in Bangladesh – particularly the cement, steel, and glass rod industries – must take the lead in this effort. Those of us working on climate change often operate within one silo, while those in business work in another. Today's discussion is an opportunity to explore how these two fronts can be brought together to find practical solutions.
MD MOSHIUR RAHMAN
FIRST SECRETARY (VAT POLICY), NBR
Refining and modernising the steel industry now means building an environmentally friendly, stronger, and future-oriented Bangladesh. Refinement is needed not only for metals but also for policies.
Just as refining steel increases strength and durability, refining policies through clarity, transparency, and predictability strengthens governance. Our revenue policy is now moving toward a mid- and long-term vision, enabling industrial entrepreneurs to plan long-term investments. We want every policy to maintain predictability and clarity.
MAHFUZ RUSSEL
FOUNDER AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, PITTACHHARA FOREST & BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION INITIATIVE
We need to know how much steel is being used in Bangladesh's steel industry, where it is sourced from, and how much more can be utilised. Such information should be made publicly available. It is also important to focus on the reuse of waste generated during steel production.
Currently, factories rely on electricity and gas, but in the future, initiatives can be taken to adopt hydrogen or other renewable energy sources. Although hydrogen is expensive, it is crucial in the context of climate change.
