[🇧🇩] Save the Rivers/Forests/Hills-----Save the Environment

Source: https://www.thedailystar.net/opinion/editorial/news/stop-disturbing-the-sundarbans-3572721

Stop disturbing the Sundarbans!​

Restrain traffic of ships through the forest

It is deeply concerning that on top of projects, megaprojects, illegal occupations and deforestation ravaging the Sundarbans, traffic of ships through the forest has increased dramatically in recent years. A recent report sheds light on how ships, discharging harmful fumes and sound pollution, and often carrying toxic materials through the forest, have nearly doubled in a decade—from 357 trips monthly in 2012 to 837 trips in 2022, and 701 trips monthly so far this year.

Under the first Protocol on Inland Water Transit and Trade between Bangladesh and India, signed in 1972, lighter cargo vessels can operate between the two countries using the waterways mostly through the Sundarbans. A major route for these ships goes through at least 100 km of the river system inside the mangrove forest, which takes around eight hours for the vessels to travel. While any motor vehicle, including boats and ships, is strictly prohibited from operating through the forest after sunset till sunrise, ships continue to operate 24/7 unrestrained. The customs station in Angtihara, the entry point to the forest on this route, only logs the trips of the ships and does not monitor if any laws have been broken. While the customs and immigration in India close off at night, our customs office continues to operate throughout the night.
​

By allowing these activities, we are now destroying the Sundarbans from the inside. The toxic fumes and loud sounds greatly impact wildlife habitats and breeding environments. The propellers disrupt the marine ecosystem, and the waves cause severe erosions. For instance, the width of rivers on this route has increased from 20-30 metres to 50-60 metres. Most of the ships on this route contain fly ash, coal, and stones from India for our riverside cement factories. In the last seven years, at least 15 such ships have capsized inside the forest, spilling these harmful materials directly into the river.

Bangladesh has now become a land of lost forestlands and dead ecosystems. We have irredeemably destroyed a number of forests and major sources of biodiversity throughout this delta, and even in the hill tracts. The Sundarbans is the last hope for any unique and great population of wildlife to survive. The government must ensure that any activity harming this forest is halted immediately, and look for an alternative route for maritime trade with India as well as consider moving major power plants and factories from the area.​

 

[Saif]

Don’t let river grabbers contest polls

Rights organisation Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh (HRPB) yesterday submitted a memorandum to the Election Commission requesting it to amend the Representation of the People Order (RPO), incorporating a provision to disqualify the river polluters and encroachers from elections.

www.thedailystar.net

Don’t let river grabbers contest polls
HRPB urges EC to amend RPO

Rights organisation Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh (HRPB) yesterday submitted a memorandum to the Election Commission requesting it to amend the Representation of the People Order (RPO), incorporating a provision to disqualify the river polluters and encroachers from elections.

A delegation of HRPB led by its president Advocate Manzill Murshid placed the memorandum to the EC at its office.

Earlier, the High Court in 2016 ordered a provision in this regard.

The Supreme Court also suggested that the grabbers and polluters should be disqualified from contesting the elections.

Despite the suggestions, no law has been formulated in this regard, said HRPB.​

 

[Krishna with Flute]

This is early morning in India and I am getting ready to host a tree plantation program our township where I have planted over 9500 trees including Miyawaki forests. We have about 85 varieties of tree. Township has almost become a bird sanctuary. One can hear bird sound through out the day.

 

[Bilal9]

Bangladesh must switch to hollow blocks to reduce pollution

Clay bricks cost Tk 12 per piece. A hollow block, which is four times larger than a clay brick, is priced at Tk 50.

www.thedailystar.net

Bangladesh must switch to hollow blocks to reduce pollution
Says Concord Group Managing Director Shahriar Kamal

View attachment 13509

Clay bricks cost Tk 12 per piece. A hollow block, which is four times larger than a clay brick, is priced at Tk 50.

This price difference suggests a competitive edge for clay bricks in the construction market.

But the true cost of traditional bricks extends far beyond their purchase price.

Overlooked factors include Dhaka's frequent ranking as one of the world's most polluted cities. This severe air pollution, largely caused by brick kilns, is responsible for a tragically shortened lifespan for many people.

"This cannot continue," said Shahriar Kamal, managing director of the construction conglomerate Concord Group, in an interview with The Daily Star. "To reduce pollution, we need to switch to green alternatives as soon as possible."

Kamal's firm has been producing concrete and hollow blocks since 1998.

They built the 17-acre Lake City Concord township in Dhaka entirely without using a single clay brick. This township comprises 14 buildings, each rising to 16 storeys.

Given the longstanding reliance on clay bricks in the local construction sector, questions naturally arise regarding the feasibility, cost-effectiveness, and urgency of transitioning to hollow blocks.

Traditional brick kilns extract clay by stripping topsoil from fertile lands, resulting in an annual loss of around 1 percent of the country's arable land.

This practice not only devastates agricultural productivity but also involves the burning of vast amounts of coal and wood, releasing harmful particulates and greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.

"The process is unsustainable," said Kamal. "As construction demand increases each year, the environmental toll intensifies."

In contrast, hollow blocks are manufactured using a more sustainable approach. They are produced with materials such as fly ash, cement, and other industrial by-products. This process does not require burning, as the blocks are simply dried.

According to Kamal, hollow blocks are lighter but have superior strength. Therefore, they are suitable for construction in earthquake-prone regions like Bangladesh.

"Buildings constructed with hollow blocks are much lighter than those built with traditional bricks," he explained. "This reduced weight offers an advantage during earthquakes, minimising the risk of collapse and subsequent casualties."

According to the Managing Director of Concord Group, although hollow blocks offer many advantages, the adoption rate of eco-friendly bricks remains low. Only 5-8 percent of bricks currently in use are eco-friendly.

For the slow shift, he said a lack of awareness among builders, insufficient training for construction workers in the use of these blocks, and a strong entrenched preference for traditional bricks are responsible.

"Many workers are not familiar with how to work with these blocks," said Kamal. "For example, traditional bricks require soaking before use, whereas hollow blocks are installed dry."

"We arranged training for the workers several times," he said, "but this effort needs to be scaled up with government support to ensure nationwide adoption."

Kamal acknowledged that cost is another barrier to the widespread adoption of eco-friendly bricks.

"While eco-friendly bricks may have a slightly higher initial cost compared to traditional bricks, they offer long-term savings," he commented. "Proper planning and mindful design can reduce overall construction costs by about 15 percent."

In 2020, the government announced a policy to replace traditional bricks with eco-friendly blocks in all public projects. This policy aimed to achieve a 10 percent adoption rate in fiscal year (FY) 2019-20, with a gradual phasing out of clay bricks by FY25.

However, slack monitoring and enforcement have hindered progress towards these ambitious goals.

"Implementation is key," Kamal stressed. "We need strong inter-ministerial coordination, led by the Ministry of Environment, to oversee the implementation of these policies. Regulatory bodies like Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk) must also play a crucial role by enforcing these targets in private-sector construction projects."

He pointed to successful examples from countries like China and India, where the adoption of eco-friendly bricks has been accelerated through a combination of financial incentives, strict enforcement of environmental regulations, and comprehensive public awareness campaigns.

Kamal said their facilities have the capacity to manufacture 200,000 eco-friendly bricks, blocks, and tiles every eight hours. But, without enough demand, they cannot operate at full capacity.

He called for a range of policy measures to stimulate demand, including financial incentives for manufacturers of eco-friendly building materials and penalties on polluting industries to ensure accountability.

"The polluters must pay," he commented.

"This isn't just about bricks," he said. "It's about rethinking how we build our cities and protect our people. Change is difficult, but it is necessary — and it begins with each of us."

Currently, the size of the traditional brick industry is around Tk 9,000 crore, while the concrete block market is only at Tk 200 crore.

Bangladesh produces an estimated 2,300 crore bricks annually. Concrete blocks currently account for a relatively small share of this market, constituting roughly 6-7 percent of the total.

There are 164 registered factories producing concrete blocks, with an annual production capacity of 214 crore blocks. However, considering the unregistered factories, the total number is more than 250.

Kamal said the concrete block market is projected to capture up to 50 percent of the market share by 2030, due mainly to government policies and a steadily increasing demand for sustainable building materials.

He said large-scale factories have heavily invested in automated production units, often imported from China, with typical investments ranging from Tk 30-Tk 50 crore. Mid-sized factories have also invested in modernising their production lines, with typical investments ranging from Tk 5-Tk 6 crore.

Major industry players, including Concord, Mir Group, BTI, and Meghna, currently collectively control nearly 20 percent of the hollow block market.​

For Low-rise structural construction (and high-rise non-structural curtain wall usage in lieu of drywall/gypsum-board sheet), Bangladesh needs to switch to Aircrete (AAC) blocks now which is quiet a bit lighter, almost half as much. As Bangladesh high-rises are increasingly built of steel beams nowadays instead of RCC, this could alleviate any settling problems in the foundation.

Plus Aircrete (AAC) blocks and pre-fab walls are by nature far better insulators, saving on heating or cooling energy, setting superior ecological precedent than current construction materials used in South Asia.

Aircrete blocks are significantly lighter than regular concrete blocks, with densities typically ranging from 460 to 730 kg/m³, while regular dense concrete blocks are much heavier (By spec should have a minimum block-density of around 1500 kg/m³). This reduced weight makes Aircrete blocks much easier to handle and install, contributing to lower labor costs and faster construction times.

Aerated concrete (AAC) or ‘Aircrete’ blocks are the lightest of the family of concrete blocks. Aerated blocks are distinguished by their capacity to perform a dual structural / insulation function. Though limited to structural applications in low-rise construction and partitions as well as a component of curtain walling in higher buildings, aerated blocks can perform a similar range of functions as dense and lightweight blocks.

Here is more info,

https://www.aircrete.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Engine-Only-model-supplies-the-heart-of-an-AAC-panel-plant-for-the-South-East-Asia-Markets.pdf

And a video. Granted Western usage but could be adapted to South Asian situation.

 

[Saif]

A major quake striking BD not a remote possibility

The frequent low-intensity tremors felt in various parts of Bangladesh due to earthquakes in neighbouring countries serve as a grim reminder of the country's seismic vulnerability. Over the past 10 days, Bangladesh has experienced four earthquakes. The most recent one, on Wednesday, had its epicent

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

A major quake striking BD not a remote possibility
Atiqul Kabir Tuhin
Published :
Mar 08, 2025 22:53
Updated :
Mar 08, 2025 23:06
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The frequent low-intensity tremors felt in various parts of Bangladesh due to earthquakes in neighbouring countries serve as a grim reminder of the country's seismic vulnerability. Over the past 10 days, Bangladesh has experienced four earthquakes. The most recent one, on Wednesday, had its epicentre approximately 449 kilometres from Dhaka in the border region between India and Myanmar. Despite the distance, it sent a moderate shockwave through Dhaka, registering a magnitude of 5.6 on the Richter scale.

The frequency of low to moderate-intensity earthquakes has been steadily increasing in recent years. According to the Meteorological Department, 28 earthquakes were recorded in Bangladesh and nearby regions in 2017. This number rose to 41 in 2023 and further increased to 54 last year, marking the highest number in eight years.

Even though tremors originating from nearby countries may not always directly and severely impact the country, it does not mean Bangladesh is at a safe distance or that earthquakes pose no real threat. In reality, Bangladesh lies in an active earthquake zone, situated near the meeting points of three major tectonic plates and four active seismic sources in the Bay of Bengal, which have the potential to generate tremors exceeding 7.0 in magnitude. Experts warn that the series of small quakes frequently shaking Dhaka, Sylhet, and Chittagong could be precursors to a devastating seismic event.

Indeed, seismologists have long warned that a powerful earthquake is not a matter of 'if' but 'when.' The fact that Bangladesh has not experienced a major tremor in the past two hundred years only increases the likelihood of a catastrophic event. The last major earthquake to impact the region was the 1897 Great Indian Earthquake of the Shillong Plateau, which jolted the northeastern part of the country with a magnitude of 8.7.

An earthquake often proves more devastating than other natural calamities because, unlike storms, floods, and droughts, it cannot be predicted with precision. When prevention is impossible, the focus must shift to damage limitation, immediate rescue, relief, and rehabilitation. But is Bangladesh prepared?

While the country has experience in dealing with floods and cyclones, it lacks the capacity to handle a major earthquake. In past incidents, when multi-storied structures collapsed for various reasons, the fire service took an inordinately long time to clear the rubble. Even in cases of fire outbreaks, the fire department struggles to bring blazes under control swiftly. This highlights the lack of advanced equipment and expertise required for clearing debris, cutting through concrete, and rescuing trapped victims. A key priority, therefore, should be to equip the Fire Service and Civil Defence, along with other emergency response organisations, with the necessary resources.

A major earthquake presents the grim prospect of a human catastrophe in Bangladesh, primarily due to the prevalence of a substantial number of unsafe buildings. An estimate suggests that 72,000 out of 2.1 million structures in Dhaka are highly unstable. However, no significant measures have been taken to demolish these buildings or relocate and rehabilitate their residents. Following the Rana Plaza collapse, BUET proposed a comprehensive initiative to classify Dhaka's buildings based on earthquake resistance. Under this plan, high-risk buildings were to be marked red, moderate-risk structures yellow, and earthquake-resistant buildings green. However, this crucial assessment remains incomplete for most structures. The authorities, therefore, must prioritise identifying high-risk buildings, demolishing unsafe structures, and reinforcing weaker ones.

Earthquake preparedness demands massive preparation, investment in advanced rescue equipment, comprehensive emergency response training and raising public awareness. Without immediate and decisive action, a catastrophic loss of life remains an imminent threat.​

 

[Saif]

Choking on apathy and neglect

Urgent actions needed to tackle our air pollution crisis

www.thedailystar.net

Choking on apathy and neglect
Urgent actions needed to tackle our air pollution crisis

VISUAL: STAR

It is disappointing that Bangladesh and the landlocked nation Chad have been ranked as the world's most polluted countries in 2024, with their average smog levels exceeding WHO guidelines by more than 15 times, according to Swiss air quality monitoring firm IQAir. It is little wonder, then, that air pollution causes 102,456 deaths in Bangladesh every year, as the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) recently estimated. Other studies over the years have painted a similarly grim picture. These findings should spur frantic efforts to reverse this trend. The question is, why don't they?

The CREA study highlighted that young children are particularly vulnerable, with 5,258 annual deaths from PM2.5-related lower respiratory infections. It estimated that controlling air pollution could prevent 5,254 child deaths each year and avert 29,920 deaths from heart disease, 23,075 from strokes, 20,976 from COPD, 9,720 from pneumonia, and 3,063 from lung cancer. Additionally, pollution-related illnesses lead to 669,000 emergency hospital visits annually and 263 million lost workdays, significantly harming the economy. Similarly, a World Bank report estimated air pollution caused between 78,145 and 88,229 deaths in Bangladesh in 2019. Another study found it shortens the average Bangladeshi's life expectancy by 6.8 years. Despite these staggering consequences, successive governments have taken minimal action. Vehicle pollution remains high, industrial and power plant emissions go largely unregulated, and construction activities and waste burning continue unchecked.

The persistently high pollution levels highlight not only a lack of ambition in policymaking but also a failure to enforce existing regulations. The absence of regular monitoring mechanisms to uphold air quality standards is another major shortcoming. In spite of these failures, the responsible authorities are never held accountable. This must change. Despite concerns caused by the recent US decision to end a programme that many countries relied on for air quality data, the government must take responsibility for developing its own robust air quality monitoring and improvement systems. Investing in its own air quality monitoring infrastructure would be a crucial first step.

Bangladesh also needs to adopt a multi-pronged approach to tackle the deteriorating air quality. Stricter enforcement of emission regulations for industries and vehicles is essential. Brick kilns and factories—both major polluters—must be required to use modern filtration systems, while large-scale afforestation and urban greening initiatives should be undertaken to help absorb pollutants. Construction activities should also be regulated with dust-control measures, and waste burning should be strictly prohibited. Ultimately, the government and other stakeholders must realise that without urgent, science-backed intervention, the country risks an even graver public health and economic crisis in the coming days.​