Illegal Pond Digging Devastates Farmland in Shariatpur
Photo: Agamir Somoy
Despite official directives to protect agricultural land, a surge in illegal pond digging is devastating fertile fields across Bhedarganj, Shariatpur.
The roar of excavators has replaced the quiet of the fields as triple-crop land is rapidly converted into fishponds, leaving local farmers in a deepening crisis.
Driven by the prospect of high profits from fish farming, unplanned excavation is shrinking the amount of available arable land, ruining local water management systems, and creating widespread instability.
While government regulations strictly prohibit changing land classification or the nature of farmland without explicit permission, influential groups in Bhedarganj are ignoring these rules.
Data from the Upazila Agriculture Department and local sources indicate that Bhedarganj is losing around 2-3 percent of its farmland every year. Fields that once produced high yields of rice and jute are being transformed into reservoirs.
This unplanned digging causes a double-edged crisis: some areas suffer from permanent waterlogging that destroys crops, while others face a total lack of irrigation water.
In Mahishar Union, four excavators were observed working simultaneously to dig ponds in high-yield agricultural zones. Despite reports to the Upazila administration, locals claim no effective measures have been taken to halt the destruction.
Similar illegal activities are reported in Mahishkandi village, Arsinagar Union, and multiple markets within Charvaga Union.
Local farmers report a climate of intimidation and administrative neglect. Liton Mia, a farmer from Mahishar Union, said, “Fish enclosures are being created by digging ponds on farmland. If we refuse to provide land, they use pressure and threats. We find no solution even after informing the administration.”
Another farmer from the same union, Abu Bakkar, added, “They are forcibly digging a pond next to my land. If this persists, farmland will disappear in the future. The administration must take immediate steps to protect agricultural land.”
Matin Mia of Charvaga Union stated that the disruption of water management has already led to a decline in crop production. He noted, “Unplanned pond digging is ruining land water management and decreasing crop production. Nobody listens when we object; instead, they issue threats.”
Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Hafizul Huq said that digging ponds on fertile land is illegal without prior approval from the District Administration. Such work is only permissible on one’s own land under very limited and specific conditions. Legal action will be taken upon receiving complaints.
