Reza Mahmud :
Vast swathes of cultivable land across Bangladesh are being repurposed for commercial installations in violation of existing laws, raising serious concerns about the country’s long-term food security.
Experts have voiced alarm over the accelerating trend, noting that farmers-disheartened by chronically low returns on their produce-are increasingly inclined to convert agricultural land into commercially viable real estate or other non-agricultural ventures.
Dr Khondaker Golam Moazzem, Research Director at the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD), told The New Nation on Friday, “Food security is not currently assured in Bangladesh and will remain a pressing concern over the coming decade.
The government must adopt a firmer stance to prevent arable land from being misappropriated or converted for alternative purposes.”
Bangladesh’s National Land Use Policy prohibits the conversion of agricultural land without prior approval from the Deputy Commissioner (DC) or the Upazila Agriculture Officer. However, enforcement remains weak. “Before any construction is permitted, authorities must verify that the land is not agriculturally classified,” Dr Moazzem added.
Dr Asaduzzaman, former Research Director at the Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS), highlighted the country’s underperformance in agricultural productivity compared to other Asian nations.
“While countries across Asia yield approximately 25 tonnes of crops per unit area, Bangladeshi farmers manage only 10 tonnes. This substantial productivity gap must be addressed through the adoption of modern, scientific agricultural practices,” he stated.
Experts further stressed that ensuring farmers receive fair market prices is essential to dissuading them from diverting land away from food production.
A field investigation in Boalmari Upazila of Faridpur reveals ongoing construction of non-agricultural installations on prime farmland. Meanwhile, in Jashore’s fertile Horinar Beel region-once a hub of triple-crop farming-aggressive expansion of commercial fish farming and the housing sector is taking a severe toll.
Real estate developers are reportedly filling in this ecologically significant wetland and selling plots under various housing schemes without proper legal permissions. In many cases, land classifications are being illegally altered, contravening land use laws.
Additionally, well-funded individuals are constructing religious and educational institutions on arable land, bypassing regulatory approvals. These unregulated developments are contributing to the loss of valuable agricultural resources and causing environmental degradation.
Horinar Beel, spanning approximately 17 kilometres across the Chanchra and Ramnagar unions of Jashore Sadar Upazila, includes around 485 hectares of arable land-mainly used for rice cultivation.
The most rampant land conversions have been documented in the Shankarpur and Chanchra areas, particularly around the Shankarpur Bus Terminal, Jashore Medical College, and the Bhaturia and Mahidia localities.
Large tracts of land are being indiscriminately filled with soil and sold, undermining not just the region’s agricultural potential but also its ecological balance.
The unchecked conversion of agro land poses both a financial and environmental threat to the nation. Experts warn that without immediate regulatory enforcement and structural reforms to support farmers, Bangladesh risks compromising its food sovereignty and undermining sustainable economic development.
