Pabna, Aug 27 (V7N) – Tanore Upazila in Rajshahi, historically known for its agricultural productivity, is facing a serious threat to food security as fertile croplands are rapidly disappearing. Vast areas of farmland are being converted into fish ponds, plantations, cold storages, and other non-agricultural structures—raising alarm among local farmers and experts.
These conversions are not isolated. Quarterly reports indicate other upazilas such as Bagmara, Paba, Mohanpur, Charghat, and Durgapur are also losing cropland to illegal excavations.
In Tanore alone, estimates suggest that over the past decade around 10,000 bighas have been lost to pond excavations, cold store construction, and commercial development.
Data from the Department of Agricultural Extension shows that the entire Rajshahi district is losing about 800 hectares of cropland annually (equivalent to approximately 2,400 bighas), totaling over 17,000 acres in recent years—roughly one-third of its total arable land.
The economic impact is twofold: rising lease prices for remaining farmland and increasing rice prices. Farmers report that lease values, once about Tk 10,000–20,000 per bigha, have soared to Tk 40,000–50,000 and still remain difficult to secure. Dhaka and other regions have seen wheat price increases of Tk 200–300 per ‘maund’ (approximately 37.3 kg), making both food production and affordability a growing concern.
Locals describe a systemic pattern of how influential land grabbers—including local political actors—use tactics such as waterlogging to pressure desperate farmers into leasing land for pond digging. These excavations are often legally registered as agricultural land, allowing low agricultural rent (Tk 2 per 100 sq ft) while defrauding the state on potential revenues from pond leases (up to Tk 60 per 100 sq ft).
Recent reports confirm that these pond excavations continue at night, especially in vulnerable wetland areas like Bagha’s Noitika-Arifpur region, with little enforcement from authorities.
With the steady decline of productive farmland and growing fears of future food shortages, farmers and local development groups are urging the government to take urgent action—stop illegal land conversion, enforce agricultural zoning, and preserve food-producing land for long-term national food security.
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