Improved cook stoves: saving lives, cutting fuel cost

Samiul Islam, a resident of Fulgachh village in Lalmonirhat sadar upazila, began his journey as a sole proprietorship several years ago by peddling sanitary products to low-income households in the area.

After about five years of financial struggle, he decided to make and sell improved cook stoves in hopes of turning a better profit.

Improved cook stoves, locally known as "Bondhu Chula", are cooking devices designed to improve the combustion and efficiency of biomass, mainly wood.

There was little demand for Samiul's stoves initially and he could sell just 20 units during the first few months. Now though, he sells nearly a dozen stoves each day.

"Business is going well as the demand for this type of fuel and cost-efficient stove has increased," the entrepreneur said.

With people from his village being the main buyers, Samiul currently registers a monthly turnover of about Tk 3 lakh with profits of up to Tk 60,000 from the sale of stoves.

Seeing his success, a good number of small-scale entrepreneurs have joined Samiul's ranks in making and selling Bondhu Chula.

Besides, improved cooking stoves are being promoted by different government agencies to replace traditional stoves that consume high amounts of biomass and cause indoor pollution and environmental degradation because of high dependence on firewood.

To date, about 45 lakh improved cook stoves have been installed in households across the country.

State-run Infrastructure Development Company Ltd installed around 28.3 lakh stoves in a bid to improve energy efficiency, reduce dependence on firewood and cut greenhouse gas emissions, sources said.

According to the Sustainable and Renewable Energy Development Authority, improved cook stoves reduce firewood consumption by up to 50 per cent.

In addition, the stove's design helps keep kitchen areas clean and free of smoke, reducing the chance of smoke-related illness or death.

Samiul learned how to make the stoves from a non-government organisation by attending a seven-day training session. He then started to sell each unit for between Tk 600 and Tk 4,000, depending on size.

"We make single burner or double burner stoves with single or double fuel chambers," Samiul said.

The demand for single burner stoves with double fuel chambers seems to be the highest.

"Large stoves are needed by businesses such as tea shops while small or medium-sized stoves are preferred for household use," he added.

Shahedul Islam, a seller of improved cook stoves in Shimulbari village of Kurigram's Phulbari upazila, started selling the fuel-efficient cooking solution after getting work orders from a local non-government organisation.

"Sales were initially slow for the first six months but now I get advance orders," he said.

"People from distant villages come to buy the stoves, so if there is any problem in using it, we give full support to customers."

With a profit margin of up to Tk 600 per unit, Shahedul sells around 30 stoves each day.

Like Samiul and Shahedul, hundreds of small entrepreneurs in suburban areas are making and selling improved cook stoves to profit from its growing popularity.

Khadiza Begum, who lives in Lalmonirhat, used to cook her food on an ordinary stove just two months back when she had to use so much firewood that it would fill her house with smog.

But after following the advice of a local youth, Khadiza installed an improved cook stove at a cost of Tk 700. Since then, her weekly expenses for firewood have fallen to Tk 90 in the past two months, down 60 per cent from Tk 150 previously.

"Not only does it take less time to cook, but we also do not have to suffer from smoke inhalation while cooking," Khadiza said.

Convinced of the benefits, 40 other families in her village have also installed improved cook stoves.

"Our benefits would have been higher had we known about this cooking solution two or three years ago. Many of our relatives become enthusiastic about buying one themselves after seeing the stove in our house," said Nuri Begum, another local in Lalmonirhat.

Mez-Babul-Alam, deputy director of the Department of Environment in Rangpur, said improved cook stoves are environmentally friendly and so, they always advise people to use them.

"Various non-governmental organisations are regularly advising and raising awareness among people to use Bondhu Chula," he said.

Habibur Rahman, the civil surgeon of Kurigram district, says the amount of smoke released while cooking on an ordinary wood-burning stove causes air pollution.

Due to this, family members have shortness of breath, asthma, heart attacks, lung problems and pneumonia. "If the house is kept smoke-free, there will be no air pollution and the incidence of these complex diseases will be comparatively lower," he said.

"So, the use of these eco-friendly stoves should be increased not only in houses but also in restaurants, tea stalls, community centres and small factories."