TITLE: Brick by brick

Coal-fired brick kilns are a cornerstone of construction across South Asia. As cities expand rapidly, demand for cheap building materials continues to rise. India has an estimated 140,000 brick kilns, while Bangladesh has nearly 10,000. Because this technology remains the cheapest method of brick production, modernization has been slow.

The kilns are major sources of air pollution, contributing to smog, soil depletion, and landscape degradation. Workers are often migrants from the poorest regions, and entire families - including children - endure long hours in harsh and hazardous conditions. Despite this, the kilns remain the primary livelihood for millions.

This work was photographed in brick kilns on the outskirts of Dhaka, Chittagong, and Barishal in Bangladesh, and in Sarnath, India.

AUTHOR: Bart Rubik (Poland)

Polish documentary photographer exploring how faith is expressed through beliefs, ceremonies, rituals, and religious festivals across cultures. He develops the long-term project Stories of the Sacred, documenting humanity’s relationship with spirituality and transcendence. His work also examines broader social issues, focusing on how communities navigate tradition, identity, labor, and change, often in remote environments. His photography has been published and exhibited in Poland.