Dhaka: The government today placed a bill in the parliament aimed at safeguarding the country’s shrinking cultivable land and thus ensuring long-term food security for the country’s growing population. Land Minister Md. Mizanur Rahman Minu presented the bill to address the challenges posed by unplanned urbanization, industrialization, and infrastructure projects that have continuously depleted agricultural plots.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the proposed legislation, titled the Land Use Control and Agricultural Land Protection Bill, 2026, seeks to regulate land use across the country. This initiative comes in response to rapid urbanization, industrial expansion, infrastructure development, and population growth, which have been steadily reducing cultivable land. The bill highlights the risks posed to food security for both present and future generations due to unplanned land conversion.
The bill proposes a structured, zone-based land management system to preserve farmland and ensure its optimal use based on ecological and geographical characteristics. Under this proposed law, all land in Bangladesh, except the three hill districts of Rangamati, Bandarban, and Khagrachhari, will be brought under a comprehensive zoning framework to be prepared by the government.
A notable feature of the bill is the introduction of a land use zoning map, which will be developed using modern digital technology, satellite imagery, and field-level verification. The zoning process will classify land based on its current use, topography, and environmental features. It may be implemented nationwide at once or in phases. The government will publish a draft zoning map and allow citizens to submit objections or opinions within 30 working days, with district-level committees reviewing these submissions.
The legislation places strong restrictions on the use of fertile agricultural land, particularly two-crop, three-crop, and multi-crop lands, as well as areas declared as special agricultural zones. These lands are reserved for high-value or high-yield production and cannot be used for non-agricultural purposes, except under strict conditions for national necessities such as energy or mineral extraction. The bill sets a ceiling, allowing no more than 10 percent of total agricultural land to be used for non-agricultural purposes.
Strict measures are included to prevent environmental degradation, such as prohibiting the removal of topsoil from agricultural land for brick kilns and banning the filling of water bodies and wetlands. The bill also restricts hill cutting and activities that damage forests. Violations, including unauthorized construction on protected land, will be treated as punishable offenses, with offenders required to restore the land to its original condition in addition to facing legal penalties.
All government and private development projects will be required to comply with the law to ensure that no project harms agricultural land or environmentally sensitive areas. District administrations will be tasked with preparing lists of agricultural and ecologically critical lands, preventing illegal land conversion, regulating soil use for brick kilns, and taking corrective actions.
Violations of the law will be punishable with imprisonment, fines, or both, with some offenses carrying penalties of up to two years’ imprisonment or fines of up to Taka two lakh. Cases will be tried by judicial magistrates, with provisions for enforcement through mobile courts.
The bill also proposes repealing the Land Use Control and Agricultural Land Protection Ordinance, 2026, while retaining actions already taken under it. If passed, the law is expected to introduce a more structured and science-based approach to land management in Bangladesh, balancing development needs with environmental protection and agricultural sustainability.