|| Owners seek permission to operate fixed-chimney kilns this year, promise closure from next seasonRayhan Ahmed, Mymensingh Bureau Chief: The Department of Environment in Mymensingh has urged brick kiln owners to comply with environmental laws and gradually shift towards block bricks to reduce air pollution and protect the environment.The call was made at an exchange meeting with brick kiln owners organised by the Department of Environment's Mymensingh district office on Thursday, October 29, 2026. The meeting, held at the conference room of the district office at 10:00am, focused on pollution caused by brick kilns, legal requirements for their operation and the importance of promoting block bricks as an alternative to conventional fired bricks. Director of the Department of Environment's Mymensingh divisional office, Nazmul Huda, attended the meeting as the chief guest. He urged kiln owners to operate their businesses in accordance with environmental laws and encouraged them to take initiatives to adopt block brick production. Deputy Director of the department's Mymensingh district office, Nur Qutube Alam Siddique, chaired the meeting, while Assistant Director of the divisional office, Sabikun Nahar, attended as a special guest. Assistant Director Abu Sayeed of the district office discussed brick kiln laws and the environmental consequences of kiln operations in detail. He also called for fixed-chimney brick kilns to remain closed. During the meeting, Mymensingh District Brick Kiln Owners' Association President Khorshed Alam appealed to the divisional director to allow fixed-chimney kilns to operate for the current year, saying the kilns had already begun operations. He assured the authorities that the owners would take responsibility for shutting down the fixed-chimney kilns from the following year. The appeal highlighted the tension between the authorities' efforts to enforce environmental regulations and kiln owners' concerns over the consequences of closing operating kilns. Association Secretary Shahjahan Mia, Vice-President Kanchan Mia, Mostafa Kamal and brick kiln owners from different upazilas of Mymensingh district attended the meeting. Officials and employees of the Department of Environment and journalists were also present. The meeting underscored the need for greater compliance with environmental regulations and a transition towards less-polluting building materials. Encouraging the production and use of block bricks could help reduce pressure on the environment, provided the alternatives are adopted alongside effective enforcement of existing laws.