Bangladesh’s food security is under growing threat as agricultural land has diminished by 3.75 percent over the past eight years, according to a new report from the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS).

The findings, based on data collected between 2015 and 2023 under the ‘Strengthening Environment, Climate Change and Disaster Statistics (ECDS)’ project, point to rapid urbanisation as a key driver of the decline in cultivable land. The report was released on Sunday at a seminar held at the BBS Auditorium in Dhaka.

The study marks the country’s most detailed assessment to date of environmental and climate trends. Alongside the reduction in agricultural land, the BBS survey also found that natural forest cover has dropped by 5.41 percent, while planted forests—primarily social plantations—have expanded by 27.36 percent over the same period.

The comprehensive survey included data on water use, household material consumption, land and forest accounts, and waste management. It also examined the condition of water bodies, e-waste, and urban-rural disparities in solid waste disposal.

Presenting the key findings, project director Mohammad Saddam Hossain Khan said the ECDS initiative aims to develop a standard framework for environmental statistics and to monitor the impacts of climate change and disasters. He noted that the project aligns with the UN’s System of Environmental-Economic Accounting (SEEA).

Planning Ministry Secretary Aleya Akter attended the seminar as the chief guest. The Director General of BBS, Muhammad Mizanur Rahman, presided over the event.