Dhaka: Fisheries and Livestock Adviser Farida Akhter today addressed the alarming rate at which agricultural land in Bangladesh is decreasing, attributing the issue to urbanization, industrialization, and unplanned development.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Farida Akhter, speaking as the chief guest at a workshop on 'Agricultural Land Protection and Land Use' organized by the Bangladesh Agroecology Platform, emphasized that the rapid loss of land is further exacerbated by environmental damage. She noted that chemical-based agriculture is undermining soil fertility and agricultural productivity, while climate change is contributing to the emergence of new diseases and pests.
During her address, Farida Akhter underscored the importance of expanding the conversation about land rights beyond the agricultural sector. She pointed out the detrimental effects of excessive herbicide and pesticide use, which not only affect farmland but also have significant repercussions on the fisheries and livestock sectors. Historically, 60 percent of Bangladesh's fish were sourced from open water, but this has now reversed due to pollution, land-filling, and unregulated tourism threatening indigenous fish resources.
The workshop was also attended by Secretary of the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock Abu Taher Muhammad Zaber as the special guest, and chaired by Director of the Policy Research for Development Alternatives (UBINIG) Jahangir Alam Joni. Discussions highlighted agriculture's critical role in the economy, contributing 11 percent to the country's GDP and serving as the primary livelihood for most rural communities.
However, the country's 8.82 million hectares of cultivated land are rapidly declining, with reports indicating that approximately 80,000 hectares are lost annually due to urbanization, industrialization, and unplanned development. The main threats to agricultural land were identified as land grabbing, privatization, chemical damage, and climate change. Workshop attendees, including stakeholders from various ministries, strongly urged the government to ensure the effective implementation of proposed legislation to protect agricultural land.