Clay bricks replacement with blocks critical for protecting ecology

Use of concrete blocks in housing and development projects can save 30 per cent cost apart from stopping damage to the environment caused by burning of clay bricks widely used in construction, industry stakeholders say.

They suggest increasing the use of blocks in place of bricks to help reach the government’s target of bringing down the use of clary bricks to zero by 2025.

Accordingly, Mir Group, a leading conglomerate, has supplied environment-friendly blocks in the construction of the just-inaugurated Metro Rail, said a press release.

Aimed at minimising the harmful effects of construction on the environment, the government has adopted the policy to reduce the use of bricks in development works including mega projects.

Mir Group has supplied uni-pavers and kerb stone blocks for the Metro Rail cable drum store area and the main depot located in Diabari, Uttara, Dhaka. Over 75 per cent of the blocks used in the depot has come from Mir Group.

“Supporting the government to attain its vision has been a matter of satisfaction and we are glad that we supplied environment-friendly concrete blocks for a dream project like Metro Rail,” said Naba E Zaheer, Managing Director of Mir Group, expressing hope that the company would be able to replicate the experience elsewhere and continue to contribute to sustainable development.

Electrical cables and sanitary pipes can be inserted without drilling through the main structure into the blocks which are salinity-free and fire-resistant, damp-proof and fungus-free, and of high strength, artistic design, and long-lasting, said the release.

So far, Mir Group has used blocks in completing landmark projects such as Padma Bridge’s internal road work, China Friendship Exhibition Centre (Purbachal New Town), Intercontinental Hotels and Resorts (former Ruposhi Bangla), Barishal Power Plant, Dhaka Airport, BRT project and Ashrayan Prokolpho-03 (Bashan Char, Hatiya).

It has supplied blocks in construction works at the US Embassy (Dhaka), Turkish Embassy (Baridhara, Dhaka) and Saudi Embassy (Dhaka).