Land degradation is posing a serious threat to our food security, health and environment

The country must immediately start using environment-friendly alternative hollow blocks instead of conventional bricks to save its fertile topsoil and conserve environment, experts and top officials said at a discussion yesterday.

To protect topsoil and the environment, the government must immediately spearhead a campaign for using alternatives of conventional bricks, said experts at a seminar in the capital yesterday.

At least 500 bighas of prime farmland loses productivity in five upazilas of Lalmonirhat every year, as their topsoil is sold to feed around 40 local brick kilns.