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Bangladesh has undergone a notable shift in land use over the past eight years, marked by a decline in agricultural and forest areas alongside a rise in urbanisation and the expansion of inland and coastal waterbodies, according to a new report by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS).
The report under the BBS project titled "Strengthening Environment, Climate Change and Disaster Statistics" reveals that between 2015 and 2023, the country's agricultural land shrank by 1.98 per cent, while forest cover decreased by 5.41 per cent.
The BBS on Sunday released the report at a seminar held at its headquarters in the capital's Agargaon.
Aleya Akter, secretary of the Statistics and Informatics Division, was the chief guest at the event, while Dr AK Enamul Haque, director general of the Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS), was a special guest.
Project Director Mohammad Saddam Hossain Khan presented highlights from the report at the event chaired by BBS Director General Mohammed Mizanur Rahman.
The keynote revealed that there were 74,388 square kilometres of agricultural land-covered areas in 2015, about 50.41 per cent of the country's total land area of 147,570 square kilometres.
By 2023, this declined to 72,916 square kilometres, accounting for 49.41 per cent.
Officials attributed the fall to the continued expansion of urban areas and industrialisation.
Forest land also declined during the same period - from 18,499.08 square kilometres in 2015 to 17,498.18 square kilometres in 2023, reflecting a 5.41 per cent reduction.
The most significant drop occurred in the "other forest land" category with 19.86 per cent. However, artificially planted forest areas increased by 27.36 per cent, offering some positive signs of afforestation.
The extent of urban and built-up areas, referred to as artificial surfaces, rose from 33,140 square kilometres to 34,073 square kilometres over the eight-year period.
This now accounts for 23.09 per cent of the country's total land, marking a 2.82 per cent rise from 2015.
Inland waterbodies - including rivers, canals, lakes, and beels - expanded from 18,120 square kilometres to 19,196 square kilometres, a 5.94 per cent increase.
Additionally, coastal and estuarine water areas grew by 64.86 per cent, reaching 1,250.48 square kilometres in 2023.
The report also noted a decline in grassland and shrubland areas. Grasslands shrank by 19.86 per cent, while shrub-covered areas dropped by 21.33 per cent.
According to the BBS, these changes in land use pose new challenges to Bangladesh's efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The continued decline in agricultural and forest land could negatively impact food security, environmental protection, and climate resilience. Nevertheless, the growth of artificial forests and improved urban land management are seen as partial offsets to these emerging risks.
Dr Haque said, "Our paddy fields are shrinking as more land is being used for housing. Haor areas are also diminishing. We are gradually depleting our natural resources through unplanned development."
He added that the zinc content in the soil is declining, which could pose serious risks in the future.
Survey data also indicates a steady reduction in forest cover, which is shrinking the natural habitat for wildlife and increasing threats to their survival.
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