Bangladesh is losing an average of 27,000 hectares of land to degradation every year, Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Abdul Awal Mintoo said on Wednesday, warning that climate change, drought, salinity intrusion and unsustainable land use are placing growing pressure on the country's land resources.
Speaking at a workshop marking World Desertification and Drought Day 2026 at the Department of Environment in Dhaka, the minister said the area affected by moderate to very severe land degradation increased from 10.70 million hectares in 2000 to 11.24 million hectares in 2020.
The increase of about 540,000 hectares over two decades translates into an average annual degradation of around 27,000 hectares, according to figures cited by the minister.
"World Desertification and Drought Day is not just an international observance. It reminds us of our responsibility towards land, environment, food security, livelihoods and future generations," Mintoo said.
Although Bangladesh is not a desert country, it is not immune to desertification, land degradation and drought, he said. The minister identified climate change, declining soil fertility, unplanned land use, salinity intrusion, river erosion, deforestation and prolonged dry seasons as major drivers behind the trend.
He noted that drought-prone areas expanded from 1.43 million hectares in 2000 to 1.54 million hectares in 2020, accounting for about 10.4% of the country's total area.
According to the minister, northwestern drought-prone districts, salinity-affected coastal regions, degraded hill ecosystems and fragile river basins are among the areas facing the greatest risks.
The minister said increasingly erratic rainfall, prolonged dry spells, excessive rainfall, flash floods, cyclones and sea-level rise are exerting multidimensional pressure on the country's land and water resources. In particular, recurring droughts in the northwest are having long-term impacts on agricultural production, water availability and rural livelihoods, he added.
Bangladesh became a signatory to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) in 1994 and has since been working to implement its commitments, Mintoo said.
He said the government is expanding social forestry, coastal greenbelt programmes, sustainable agriculture, integrated soil fertility management and climate-resilient crop varieties to address the challenge.
Calling for greater global cooperation, the minister urged development partners and international financial institutions to increase investment in land restoration, drought resilience and nature-based solutions.