Agricultural land is declining consistently, while nearly 56 percent of arable land is not being used productively. About 40 percent of farming households are landless sharecroppers, and half of the country’s farmers do not receive fair wages. Those who own large tracts of land often do not engage in farming themselves. Although production costs are rising, farmers do not obtain appropriate prices for crops. They have to rely on multinational companies for many essential inputs, while mechanisation, which is crucial for boosting productivity, remains far behind. A report submitted to the interim government by the taskforce for economic reform noted that productivity and growth rate in the agricultural sector are declining, while food grain imports are rising. In contrast, countries in Southeast Asia have moved beyond traditional farming by adopting technology such as drones and smart irrigation, investing in modern infrastructure, and focusing on high-value crops. They are also addressing climate change through sustainable farming systems and digital tools — advances made possible through timely policy reforms and government support.
A comprehensive review of Bangladesh’s agricultural sector was conducted in 1988 through a joint initiative of the government and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), followed by an economic review in 1990. Those assessments recommended mechanisation, increased investment, and crop diversification.
Against this backdrop, after coming to power in 1991, the BNP-led government took steps to implement those recommendations and to ensure private sector participation in agriculture. Initiatives were taken to expand irrigation, improve seed and fertiliser management, and strengthen research and extension services, marking a major shift towards technology-driven agriculture. Private sector involvement in this sector was also a major transformation. Alongside involving the private sector in irrigation systems, the government expanded the participation of this sector in importing and distributing fertiliser. These initiatives helped ease shortages and irregularities, reducing farmers’ production costs at the time. Although 35 years have passed since the last review in 1990, no further reform initiatives have been undertaken in the agricultural sector. While other agriculture-dependent countries have moved towards drones and smart technologies, Bangladesh continues to grapple with long-standing structural problems. Following the mass uprising of 2024, stakeholders had expected the interim government to form a dedicated agricultural reform commission. There, 11 reform commissions have been formed; no such initiative has been taken for the agricultural sector.
Meanwhile, food grain imports have increased during the tenure of the interim government. Agricultural growth, which averaged around 3 percent over the past five decades, fell below 2 percent in the last fiscal year. There are also allegations that industries linked to agriculture are suffering due to a lack of policy support. Since assuming office, the interim government has remained engaged in maintaining law and order. In this context, the agriculture ministry — one of the most critical portfolios — is being overseen by the same adviser responsible for the home ministry. Stakeholders argue that this has limited the attention given to the agricultural sector.
Land distribution in agriculture remains highly discriminatory. Most farming households are landless in rural areas in the country. According to the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), 56 percent of rural households in Bangladesh own no land, while 41 percent are marginal farmers with less than 0.5 acres. Agricultural land is shrinking at an annual rate of 0.2 percent. On the one hand, the arable land is decreasing; on the other hand, climate impacts are further reducing production, contributing to declining growth. A lack of investment has increased reliance on imports, while sufficient budgetary allocations and subsidies are mandatory to adopt modern technology. Bangladesh lags significantly in per-unit agricultural productivity. Dependency on imports is increasing for fertilisers, seeds, and pesticides, along with around 80 percent of irrigation equipment sourced from abroad. Agricultural research must be expanded. Experts believed that necessary reform initiatives needed to be undertaken to address these challenges and secure the future of the sector.
Agricultural economist Dr. Jahangir Alam told Bonik Barta, “The agricultural sector had last been reviewed many years ago under the supervision of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Bangladesh government. When the interim government formed various reform commissions, we expected a commission on agricultural reform as well. Because earlier, reviews of the sector were conducted in 1988 and 1990, but many years have passed since then, during which agriculture has undergone significant transformations. A reform commission was necessary to capture these changes. However, this government did not take that initiative.”
Dr. Jahangir Alam believes that the first responsibility of the government elected after the upcoming polls should be to establish an agricultural reform commission and undertake a comprehensive review of the sector — from the grassroots to the national level — followed by policy recommendations and renewed prioritisation of agriculture.
Import dependence in agriculture has not declined. On the one hand, inadequate domestic production has necessitated food grain imports, which, amid an unstable global environment, is making the country’s food security fragile. On the other hand, key inputs such as seeds and pesticides required for agricultural production remain import-dependent.
Food grain imports increased in the last fiscal year compared with 2023–24. According to Bangladesh Bank data, the country spent $2.06 billion on rice and wheat imports in FY 2023–24. In FY 2024–25, this rose by 12.1 percent to around $2.3 billion. Besides, expenditure on pulse imports increased by 34.4 percent. During FY 2024–25, Bangladesh imported roughly 1.43 million tonnes of rice and nearly 6.23 million tonnes of wheat.
Agricultural economists say the interim government failed to give the sector the level of importance required to boost production and drive progress. Import dependence is rising in this sector, while reforms and investment are urgently needed to move agriculture forward.
Professor AHM Saiful Islam of the Department of Agricultural Economics at Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU) told Bonik Barta, “The tenure of this government is limited. But overall, it appears that agriculture did not receive the attention it deserved compared to other sectors. Over the past two to three decades, the country’s agricultural sector performed relatively well. However, COVID-19 and the Russia–Ukraine war severely affected the sector, disrupting supply chains. Now, some countries are on the verge of war. Any further war will again hit import-dependent countries. That is why emphasis must be placed on reducing import dependence and achieving self-sufficiency, as global politics is becoming increasingly uncertain. Increasing domestic production, mechanising agriculture, subsidies for local production of imported inputs, and targeted policy support based on prioritised crops are essential now to overcome the ongoing and upcoming challenges.
Seeds are one of the core inputs in agriculture, yet a large share remains import-dependent. According to data from the Ministry of Agriculture, the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), and seed marketing companies, more than 70 percent of jute seeds, around 90 percent of maize seeds, 60 percent of vegetable seeds, 20 percent of hybrid rice seeds, and over 80 percent of oilseed and spice seeds are imported. Little progress has been made in reducing this dependence.
Kazi Md Imdadul Haque, executive director of Lal Teer Livestock Development Limited, told Bonik Barta, “Seeds are critically important, and this is an area where government attention was required. We depend on imports for most seeds. Research must be expanded, and capacity building needs to be emphasized in this area. Seeds that are not produced domestically should be imported for research. At the same time, the private sector, those working in this area, must be supported.”
Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC) is dedicatedly engaged to fertiliser and seed operations. Attempts to contact its chairman-in-charge, member director (fertiliser management), Md Osman Bhuiyan, for comments were unsuccessful, as his phone was switched off.
On the other hand, imported pesticides are subject to a duty of 5 percent, while domestic manufacturers have to pay duties of up to 58 percent on imported raw materials used in pesticide production. This has to depend on foreign pesticides. More than 90 percent of the pesticides used in the country are imported. Although an inter-ministerial meeting in September decided to rationalise duties on pesticide raw material imports, the decision has yet to be implemented.
Sector insiders say import dependence on seeds and pesticides is driving up agricultural costs. At the same time, the quality of imported products cannot be properly verified, leaving room for risk. The interim government did not give due attention to these issues.
President of the Bangladesh Agrochemical Manufacturers Association (BAMA), agriculturist Mostafizur Rahman, told Bonik Barta, “All governments give limited importance to agriculture, and this government is no exception. The agricultural sector has not been adequately valued. No initiative has been taken for this industry. The pesticide industry should have reached the same level as the pharmaceutical sector, but we didn’t reach that level. We are forced to pay duties of up to 58 percent on raw material imports, while imported pesticides face only a 5 percent duty. Due to a lack of policy support, this industry could not advance. As imported pesticides are expensive, farmers’ production costs are also high.”
Throughout almost all cropping seasons last year, farmers across the country complained about fertiliser shortages. Farmers even took to the streets in protest. There were also reports from several districts of fertiliser being sold at prices higher than those fixed by the government. However, the Ministry of Agriculture and the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) have consistently claimed that there is no fertilizer shortage, alleging instead that unscrupulous traders and dealers created artificial shortages to make excessive profits. The ministry has acknowledged that around 2,000 dealers under the Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC) and Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC) were involved in fertiliser manipulation. Measures were taken against them, and the Fertiliser Dealer Appointment and Fertiliser Distribution Integrated Policy 2009 was amended to formulate a new policy. Despite this, many affected farmers believe the agriculture authorities failed to play an effective role in resolving the crisis regarding fertiliser.
Consumers struggled with high vegetable prices during the last season, while potato farmers faced distress throughout the year. To ensure fair prices for farmers, the government announced plans to purchase 50,000 tonnes of potatoes from the market and fixed the price at BDT 22 per kg at cold storage gates. However, this price was not implemented in many areas, where potatoes were sold for BDT 8–15 per kg at cold storage gates. The agriculture authorities failed to take effective steps to protect farmers from losses.
Despite attempts to contact Director General of DAE, Abdur Rahim, several times for comments on these constraints and possible solutions, he did not respond.
The interim government is preparing a long-term master plan for agriculture targeting 2050. Responding to questions about whether agriculture received inadequate attention, Secretary of Ministry of Agriculture Dr. Mohammad Emdad Ullah Mian told Bonik Barta, “I see no reason to give less importance to agriculture. We’re giving it the highest priority. I don’t know on what consideration people are saying that it is being given less importance. We have started all the necessary initiatives required for agricultural planning. We will further develop these plans and take the necessary actions accordingly.”
Regarding the failure to form an agricultural reform commission, the secretary said, “Given the changed circumstances, the government may have had to form reform commissions based on priority — those that were immediately required. After the interim government took office, secretaries of all ministries were instructed to think about reforms within their respective sectors. As part of that process, we have taken various initiatives. The government is giving agriculture the highest importance.”