Untimely rain damages bricks

Untimely rain for three days in the district damaged huge quantities of raw bricks that were piled up in the open fields for drying.

District Department of Agriculture Extension recorded total rainfall of 39.4 mm on April 10, 11, 12.

Thakurgaon Brickfield Owners' Association President Murad Hossain told this correspondent that there are around ninety brickfields in operation in the current brick burning season, adding that, on an average, around 7 lakh raw bricks per brickfield have been damaged by the rain.

Besides, the rain doused the fires of at least 30 brick kilns, and it will cost about Tk 1.5 lakh to relight a kiln, he said.

The losses could go up to Tk 10 crore, Murad said.

During a visit to Yakubpur, Dakkhin Bathina, Nimbari, Akcha and Farabari villages in Sadar upazila and Velajan and Duosuo villages in Baliadangi upazila on April 13, this correspondent saw that huge quantities of raw bricks were damaged by the rain. Raw bricks piled up inside the kilns were also damaged as the rain water entered the kilns.

Benju Ahmed, manager of Radha-Usha Bricks in Yakubpur village, told this correspondent that about eight lakh raw bricks, which were kept in the brickfield for burning, were damaged by the rain. The rain also doused the fire of the kiln, he said, adding that the loss could be about Tk 12 lakh.       

Mosharul Islam, owner of ZMB Bricks in Barunagaon village under Sadar upazila, said he incurred a loss of Tk 8 lakh as the rain damaged six lakh raw bricks which were piled for drying. “It will be tough for me to repay loans this season,” he said.   

Like Mosharul, a number of brick kiln owners said they will have to face financial problem this year as most of them took loan from different banks and non-governmental organisations to operate the brickfields.