Osman Gani

Bangladesh is an agricultural country. For a long time, the economy, culture and lifestyle of this country have been built around agriculture. Agriculture is the main source of livelihood, food and nutrition for most of the people in the country. However, it is being observed with great concern that the cropland, the mainstay of our agricultural system, is in danger today due to the wave of modernization and urbanization. Unplanned urbanization is devouring the fertile agricultural lands of the country like a shadow of death. Especially in the capital Dhaka and its surrounding areas, 'development in the name of urbanization' has now become a kind of destruction. Where on one hand, high-rise buildings, huge commercial complexes, modern industrial zones are being built. On the other hand, the potential for cultivation, rural life and food production built on hundreds of acres of land is disappearing.

According to the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), an average of 80,000 hectares of agricultural land has been lost to non-agricultural sectors every year in the last two decades. And according to the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council (BBS), Bangladesh has lost about 1.6 million hectares of agricultural land from 2000 to 2020. This land has been used for industrial development, road construction, private housing, government facilities, infrastructure development, and even illegal encroachment. In various regions around the capital Dhaka, including Gazipur, Savar, Narayanganj, Keraniganj, and Rupganj, mountains of bricks, sand, and cement have been built on many croplands. Huge housing projects, where there were once paddy, jute, or vegetable fields, are now multi-story buildings, shopping malls, and roads. This trend of urbanization is not limited to Dhaka alone. Almost all cities in the country, including Chittagong, Rajshahi, Khulna, Sylhet, and Barisal, have been affected by it. A situation has now arisen where what was once a rice field has now become concrete beneath the feet of people standing on the roof of a multi-storey building. Yet, the crops of that land once provided food for hundreds of people. Most urban expansion in Bangladesh is happening unplanned.

There is a lack of a comprehensive master plan everywhere that will determine which areas will be industrial, which areas will be residential, and which areas will be kept suitable for agriculture. Although a master plan has been prepared in some cities, there is no momentum in its implementation. Although there is a land law, its practical implementation is very weak. According to the 'Agricultural Land Protection and Land Use Policy' adopted in 2011, it was said to ensure that agricultural land is not used for non-agricultural purposes. But this policy is practically not implemented. Many farmers are selling their land, tempted by land brokers and housing companies. They give more importance to immediate money than land. Poverty, lack of awareness, and the young generation's disinterest in agriculture are playing a role behind this. A UN report says that by 2050, the number of people with disabilities in rural areas of Bangladesh could reach 110 million. If there is no plan to manage this pressure, the only goal of urban expansion will be to occupy the surrounding agricultural land.

The loss of agricultural land does not only mean a decrease in food production. It is also an environmental disaster. Cropland retains water, maintains soil fertility and regulates local climate. But once it is occupied by concrete, tar and bricks and sand, that land is never alive again. In addition, when people move away from agriculture due to the loss of agricultural land, it becomes difficult to ensure alternative employment for them. This increases rural poverty, increases pressure on cities and creates instability in the overall economy. Currently, Bangladesh imports about 6 million tons of food grains annually. If the rate of agricultural land loss continues at the same rate, dependence on food imports could double by 2040.

This will put pressure on foreign exchange and could lead to food shortages during times of disaster. A halt in food imports during war, climate change, or a global recession could create a dire situation.

Therefore, the first thing that is needed is to implement an up-to-date 'National Land Use Plan'. Agricultural land, housing, industry, forests and water bodies

The designated zone should be ensured. Agriculture should be given priority in this plan. There should be a provision of special permission for converting agricultural land into industrial/residential use. Strict action should be taken against housing projects that destroy agricultural land. To meet the need for urbanization, high-rise buildings should be inclined. This will reduce land use and make it possible to conserve agricultural land. Farmers should be encouraged to engage in agriculture to prevent their tendency to sell land. Agriculture should be made profitable by providing training, easy loans, fair prices for crops and modern technology. Public awareness should be created about the importance of agricultural land not only through the government, but also through civil society, media and the education system. The importance of agriculture and land protection can be included in the curriculum of schools and colleges.

Unplanned urbanization is not just a development crisis, it is an existential crisis. If we cut the roots of the soil while building a city, then eventually the city will not survive. We want development. But it should be well-planned, environmentally friendly and keeping in mind the country's agricultural and food security in the long term. At this moment, protecting agricultural land needs to be considered a national priority. If a nation is not self-sufficient in food, its development is not sustainable.

We have to decide today if we want to feed the future generations. Do we want another shopping mall or a fertile field? Bangladesh's development is urgent. But it must be balanced, planned and agriculture-friendly. Agricultural land is not just an area for food production, it is the driving force of rural life, the protector of environmental balance and the lifeblood of the economy. The city we are building by destroying it may one day become foodless, waterless and lifeless. If unplanned urbanization is not curbed now, its consequences will be dire in the near future. It is time to consider agricultural land not as a 'victim of development', but as a part of development.

The writer is journalist and columnist. He can be reached at email postnews25@gmail.com