Government policy says the nature of agricultural land must not be changed, but in Atrai upazila of Naogaon crop fields are being turned into ponds in defiance of it. Some unscrupulous brick kiln owners are alleged to be digging ponds after "managing" various quarters. A trade has grown up around the digging, and those behind it are known locally as "pond traders".

Brick kiln owners cut away soil for their own needs and leave crop land as ponds. Instead of paying to have a pond dug, landowners receive extra money, so farmers hand their land to the kiln owners without understanding the consequences. As a result, crop land in the district is shrinking day by day.

According to the district Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), the district had 272,276 hectares of arable land in 2018-19, the same as in 2017-18. The figure was 273,612 hectares in 2016-17 and 273,998 hectares in 2015-16, a fall of 1,722 hectares in five years. Atrai upazila now has 24,100 hectares of crop land, 200 hectares less than five years ago. It has 224 government ponds and 2,837 private ponds; private ponds have increased by about 250 in five years.

In Dwip Chandpur village of Hatkalupara union, Sumon Talukder of the village is digging a pond with an excavator across some 20 bighas beside an LGED road. Asaduzzaman Topi Molla, owner of the local M/s MEM brick kiln, is digging the pond on that land and taking the soil to his kiln. Soil is being taken to his kiln in the same way from ponds dug in different parts of the upazila.

Pond trader Sumon Talukder said he had leased 15 bighas for 12 years at Tk 28,000 a bigha a year. He said he had applied to the deputy commissioner for permission to dig; the district administration then asked the agriculture and fisheries officers, through the upazila administration, to send reports. He admitted, however, that he was digging before receiving approval.

Atrai upazila agriculture officer KM Kawsar Hossain said crop land is shrinking. In the past month and a half he has sent about 44 reports on pond digging to the deputy commissioner, covering land that mostly grows one crop a year.

Assistant Commissioner (Land) Arif Murshed Mishu said: "If the DC sir gives permission for digging a pond, then it can be dug. A report has been given on the pond digging in Dwip Chandpur village, but what that report says cannot be disclosed."

Atrai Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Sanaul Islam said: "Anyone who wants to dig a pond applies to the deputy commissioner, and he looks into it. There is nothing for us to do here."

Md Sirajul Islam, deputy director of the Naogaon district DAE, said: "Arable land is shrinking every year because of houses, brick kilns and pond digging. Ponds are being dug without planning. It has become a national problem. Arable land can be protected if the district administration, law enforcement agencies and the land ministry take action."

Source: Dhaka Tribune. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.