DHAKA, July 18, 2026 - Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has directed the authorities to accelerate the adoption of environmentally friendly brick production technologies as part of a broader strategy to curb air pollution and improve environmental quality across the country. Report BSS
The directive came during a high-level meeting on environmental pollution chaired by the Prime Minister at his Tejgaon office in Dhaka on Saturday, according to Prime Minister’s Assistant Press Secretary Gazi Shahriar Pamy.
The meeting reviewed a wide range of measures to address air and noise pollution, with particular emphasis on reducing emissions from traditional brick kilns, one of the country’s major sources of air pollution. The Prime Minister stressed the need to replace conventional brick-making methods with cleaner, environmentally sustainable alternatives.
The meeting also discussed steps to reduce excessive use of vehicle horns in the capital. The Prime Minister instructed law enforcement agencies to strictly enforce existing regulations against unnecessary honking to help reduce noise pollution.
Officials further explored the use of artificial intelligence (AI)-based technologies, similar to AI-powered traffic monitoring cameras, to detect and discourage unnecessary use of vehicle horns in Dhaka.
To improve urban air quality, the Prime Minister directed the relevant authorities to expedite the removal of unfit, expired and highly polluting buses, trucks and other vehicles from the city’s roads.
He also ordered the rapid installation of automatic traffic signal systems at at least 50 additional intersections across Dhaka to improve traffic flow, reduce congestion and lower vehicle emissions.
The meeting was attended by Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Abdul Awal Mintoo, State Minister Shaikh Faridul Islam, State Minister for Water Resources Forhad Hossain Azad, Prime Minister’s Special Assistant on Environment, Forest and Climate Change Affairs Dr. Md. Saimum Parvez, administrators of Dhaka North and South City Corporations, Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner Mosleh Uddin Ahmed, Additional Police Commissioner (Traffic) Md. Anisur Rahman, and senior officials from relevant ministries and agencies.
