0.1m hectares of farm lands convert into non-agricultural lands annually

Around 0.1 million hectares of agricultural lands are converted into non-agricultural lands annually, posing threat to the country's food security.
If the present trend in shrinking of agricultural land goes on, the country will have no agricultural land within 70 to 75 years, said a study conducted by the Institution of Diploma Engineers, Bangladesh (IDEB).
The study carried out at 10 villages in different areas of the country showed how agricultural lands were shrinking.  
IDEB in its study titled "food security, protection of agricultural land and planned urbanisation in rural areas and housing" has put forward some suggestions to the government.
The findings of the study will be disclosed today (Tuesday) at the ministry of housing and public works. The recommendations put forward by IDEB include ensuring planned urbanisation in rural areas, arrangement for the people of a village in combined apartment and deployment of housing department officials at grass-roots level to check unplanned urbanisation.
"We will reveal our study findings on Tuesday at the ministry of housing and public works," general secretary of the central committee of IDEB Md Shamsur Rahman told the FE.  
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