Lands that were once lush with crops like rice and jute have been transformed into brackish shrimp enclosures in the Satkhira District, Bangladesh. While the shrimp business is booming, the consequences are dire for agricultural land and river ecosystems.

The Encroachment of Shrimp Enclosures

The enclosures now cover a staggering 60,000 hectares of land dedicated to saltwater shrimp farming. Another 10,000 hectares are allocated for lobster farming. Many of these enclosures have been built without adhering to river governance regulations, causing significant agricultural land loss.

Environmental Consequences

The consequences of this unregulated shrimp farming extend beyond cropland encroachment. Shrimp enclosure owners, in their pursuit of higher profits, have been illegally injecting saltwater into the land by piercing dams belonging to the Water Development Board. This not only degrades the quality of the land but also adversely affects river ecosystems.

The problem of illegal shrimp enclosures is not confined to Satkhira alone. Media reports have highlighted similar issues in various parts of the country.