Rights activists of several organizations have expressed grave concerns over the recent conflict between the Mongla Port Authority and thousands of marginal farmer families in Banishanta union in Khulna over the dumping of dredged soil on farmlands.
Notable signatories include Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon President Sultana Kamal, Nijera Kori Coordinator Khushi Kabir, academic Rasheda K Chowdhury, TIB Executive Director Iftekharuzzaman, ALRD Executive Director Shamsul Huda, Executive Director of Brac Bangladesh Asif Saleh and others.
They have sought Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's intervention in resolving the issue.
The letter begins by quoting Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, in remarks he made on February 13, 1973: “No nation can survive if it has to beg or bring tons of food from other countries.”
“In line with that statement, you (Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina) have ordered that agricultural lands cannot be destroyed for development projects,” the letter reads.
They also said that the prime minister recently ordered that no land should be left uncultivated.
“Even though your statements and policies have instilled hope in the minds of the citizens, the way agricultural lands are being ruined to develop various projects is alarming,” the letter reads.
According to official data, the country loses 219 hectares of arable land every day.
Meanwhile, the Department of Agricultural Extension said some 68,700 hectares of agricultural land are being lost annually in Bangladesh.
Hence, Bangladesh is losing agricultural land at a rate of 1% each year. If this continues, a land crisis is imminent in the country, the letter reads.
Recently, the Mongla Port Authorities took up a project, named Mongla Port Inner Bar Dredging on Khulna’s Pasur River.
Authorities have decided to dump the dredged soil on 1,000 acres of land, which includes 300 acres of fertile agricultural area in Banishanta union of Dakop upazila in Khulna that grows three crops.
Thousands of families in five villages in Banishanta, Amtala, Bhojankhali, Khajura and Dhangmari are completely dependent on those lands for their livelihood, the letter reads.
In order to protect the agricultural land of Banishanta union from salinity, and increase its agricultural production, the government with the assistance of the World Bank constructed embankments under the Coastal Embankment Improvement Project on September 15, 2015 at a cost of $375 million.
After that, three types of crops - Amon paddy, watermelon and Aush paddy are now being cultivated in Banishanta union.
Hence the land chosen by the Mongla Port Authority to dump dredged soil has been secured under the World Bank project.
If the soil is dumped on that land, more than a thousand families will be forced to relocate.
“Dear Prime Minister, at the beginning of 2022, the Khulna district administration served a notice of occupation on 250 agricultural land owners of Banishanta union,” reads the letter.
They also noted that the Banishanta union Land Office informed the authorities on November 24, 2020, that the union’s farmers do not want their lands to be commandeered for dumping soil.
Disregarding all the complaints and opinions of the farmers of Banishanta union, the then deputy commissioner of Khulna completed the process of occupying 300 acres of agricultural land.
Meanwhile, the Mongla Port Authority claims that a feasibility study was conducted by Khulna University of Engineering and Technology in 2018 before the project was undertaken.
They said Banishanta's soil is low-lying and gets flooded during high tides, causing harm to local residents.
They also said the soil will improve the land’s quality, and prevent flooding.
They further noted that the people of Banishanta union will be free from the danger of river erosion.
According to the port authorities, the agitators are “conspirators” and since the compensation of Tk7 crore has been sent to the district administration, there is no bar to dumping soil at Banishanta union.
On August 22, the chairman of the Mongla Port Authority also told a press conference that a group is trying to stop the inner bar dredging project.
He alleged that the group is referring to the land as the “three-crop land” to put a stop to the government’s project.
Later, he also said that authorities have identified the group, and will soon take legal action against them, the letter reads.
No crops have ever grown on dredged soil, which is evident from the piles in Chila union of Barguna district, where the Mongla Port Authority dredged the soil in 2011 and 2021-2022.
At present, several technologies are being used in Chittagong and Payra Ports, which allow dredged soil to be carried far away.
“We believe that the government will not back down in the purchase and use of these types of equipment. These are very important for the economy of Mongla port,” the letter reads.
The letter sought Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s intervention and hoped that her advice and action will help the authorities protect agricultural land while development projects are undertaken.
They also hoped under the leadership of the prime minister, Bangladesh’s farmers will be guaranteed protection.
