Brick manufacturing is an important business sector in Bangladesh. There are an estimated 7,000 brick kilns throughout the country, which contribute 1% of the gross domestic product (GDP) and provide employment to roughly 1 million people.
Traditional, energy-intensive kilns are still widely used in Bangladesh, making the brick sector a major source of greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution. In 2010, the government issued a directive banning operation of traditional fixed chimney kilns by 2012, which was later extended to 2014. Today the directive still faces considerable barriers to enforcement and implementation, and the number of climate-friendly, energy-efficient kilns has yet to increase in line with expectations.
Kiln technology upgrades are readily available, but they can cost tens of thousands of dollars or more. Although modern kilns are more profitable in the long run, the high investment is a deterrent for kiln operators who do not have the capacity or incentive to make changes on their own. Most kiln operators are not recognized as formal entities, so they are also unable to access credit.
Modernization in Bangladesh’s brick industry will require a combination of incentives and financial opportunities that encourage kiln operators to use improved technologies. The Coalition is providing technical assistance to local actors in Bangladesh to address the barriers limiting financing for modern kilns and upgrades.
There is high interest among banks and financial institutions to scale up financing for clean and efficient brick technologies in Bangladesh. However, the market still faces considerable barriers to commercial finance.
The systematic lack of understanding of modern kiln technologies and of the long-term benefits of switching to cleaner technology is a key factor. Without access to supporting technical information, financial institutions are unable to assess the financial viability of brick manufacturing technologies, and kiln operators cannot make the case for kiln upgrades, and entrepreneurs entering the sector cannot make informed investments.
The Coalition is working with local actors in Bangladesh to address the barriers limiting the uptake of modern kilns through technical assistance to the government owned non-bank financial institution, IDCOL, with the ultimate goal of developing attractive end-user financing solutions for modern kiln technology.
As part of its Green Brick Programme, IDCOL proposes to invest $50 million over the next 5 years to catalyse the renewal of the stock of kilns in operation in Bangladesh. Polluting technologies will be replaced with modern, energy-efficient technologies such as the Tunnel kiln.
The Coaltion’s technical assistance to IDCOL includes:
A roadmap has been produced and will be shared with the government of Bangladesh for formal adoption and implementation.
The Coalition visited one of Bangladesh's newly built green kiln in 2019. Find out more
Lead Partner: A Coalition partner with an active role in coordinating, monitoring and guiding the work of an initiative.
Implementer: A Coalition partner or actor receiving Coalition funds to implement an activity or initiative.
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