The total area of farm land inthe country continues to shrink alarmingly signalling conspicuous shortfall infood production badly needed for the growing population. The country is loosingits farm land at the rate of one per cent per annum because of unplanned use ofland, according to a recent survey report.
Although the country had bumper harvests for three consecutive years nearly meeting domestic demands, it stillneeds to import food grains including rice and wheat costing billions ofdollars from different countries including India, Thailand, Vietnam and Russia.
During the 12 years from 1996 to2008, agriculture land declined by 13 lakh 26 thousand 205 acres, officialstatistics say. According to latest agriculture census, the total area ofagricultural land fell from 1crore 90 lakh 97 thousand 554 acres in 1996 to 1crore 77 lakh 71 thousand 339 acres in 2008. The data of land diminution forthree years till 2011 has not yet been made available.
It is learnt that rapid unplannedurbanisation is largely responsible for shrinkage of such a big portion oftillable land. Besides, housing companies and land developers in towns and citieshave been implementing housing projects indiscriminately on plain fertilefarmlands. Moreover, these companies and developers are in the race for sandfilling of water bodies- cum fishing grounds, low lying agricultural lands,ditches, canals and small rivers for high rise buildings. A drive on about 20 kilometers of road fromkhilkhet to Rupganj under Narayangonj district shows scores of sign boards inglamorous company names erected on land boundary lines on both sides. Manydevelopers have already sold out sizeable numbers of plots showing their signboards, local people told this newsman. It was found that even Irri paddyfields have not been spared of their lust. Same is the case with vacant lands onboth sides of the Dhaka-Chittagong Highways where nearby road have been adornedwith new settlements, buildings, mills and factories. Previously, paddy andother winter crops used to be produced besides doing pisciculture on theselands.
Apart from these, several lakhkilns (Brick fields), new townships, human settlements, land erosion caused byturbulent rivers like the Padma, Meghna, Jamuna and Teesta have been eating upagricultural lands indiscriminately in different districts every year.
Knowledgeable sources say if thepresent trend of land shrinkage continues the country is likely to face seriousfood crisis with the increase of population. Unless population controlprogrammes are geared up urgently the country might face food shortage as wellas farm land crisis.
Urgent measures are need toprotect land from misuse in the interest of food production for millions ofpeople as well as saving hard earned foreign currency spent for import of foodgrains. The government should also strictly prohibit the transfer of tillableland and water bodies for other uses.
-With The New Nation input
