Bangladesh’s food security is under increasing threat as the country has lost 3.75 percent of its agricultural land over the past eight years due to rapid and unplanned urbanisation. This critical finding comes from a new survey conducted by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) under its project titled ‘Strengthening Environment, Climate Change and Disaster Statistics (ECDS).’ The survey, covering the years from 2015 to 2023, offers a detailed picture of the country’s shifting environmental and land use patterns.
The report was officially unveiled on Sunday at a dissemination seminar held at the BBS Auditorium in Dhaka. Experts and policymakers present at the event expressed concern over the long-term implications of this trend for food production, rural livelihoods, and environmental balance. The report highlights that the decline in farmland is not an isolated issue but is part of broader environmental changes, including a 5.41 percent decrease in natural forest cover. However, the data also shows a 27.36 percent increase in planted or social forests during the same period, suggesting some positive reforestation efforts.
Speaking at the seminar, Aleya Akter, Secretary of the Statistics and Informatics Division of the Ministry of Planning, served as the chief guest. Dr. AK Enamul Haque, Director General of the Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS), was present as a special guest, and the event was chaired by BBS Director General Muhammed Mizanur Rahman. Project Director Mohammad Saddam Hossain Khan presented the key findings, stating that the ECDS initiative aims to create a systematic framework for environmental data and strengthen the country’s capacity to monitor climate change, natural disasters, and biodiversity loss.
He added that the data collected through this survey would help inform future development strategies and environmental policies. The survey included detailed assessments of land use, forest and ecosystem conditions, water usage, waste management practices, and pollution levels across both urban and rural areas. In addition to highlighting environmental degradation, the report serves as a call to action for policymakers to address the root causes of farmland loss and to protect Bangladesh’s fragile ecological and agricultural systems.
The report also introduced time-series data that will be useful for international environmental reporting, aligned with the global standards set by the United Nations Statistics Division. As the nation continues to grapple with the dual challenges of climate change and urban expansion, the findings underscore the urgency for sustainable land-use planning and climate-resilient agricultural practices to safeguard food security for the growing population.
Source: UNB
Bd-pratidin English/ Jisan
