Saving our soil

On June 20, The Daily Star published a front-page report titled “Fertile land made barren for bricks”. This report is a wake-up call for all of us who are genuinely concerned about the destruction of our environment.

Bangladesh is a heavily populated nation and its arable agricultural land is shrinking day by day, putting huge pressure on its food production capacity and supply. As for brick kilns, they are one of the biggest threats to our environment.

Kiln owners who allegedly collude with politically powerful locals and administrators, often extract precious topsoil, reducing the fertility of our lands. But apart from that, brick kilns are not legally supposed to be set up near agricultural fields in the first place.

In order to save our environment, agriculture and ensure our food sustainability, we must stop brick kilns from harming our environment so severely, as it has done in the past. The alternative to doing that is the destruction of our ecology and the ominous consequences that will soon follow.

Md Zillur Rahaman, By email