Ghazipur suffers alarming environmental damage: study

According to a recent study, Ghazipur has become a prime example of environmental degradation in Bangladesh in recent years, with 60 percent of forest land and 50 percent of water bodies being converted to other uses in the past two decades due to unregulated urbanization and industrialization.

The area of ​​forest land in Ghazipur has declined dramatically from 39,943 hectares in 2000 to 16,174 hectares in 2023, a decrease of 59.51 percent.

Similarly, the area of ​​water bodies has decreased by 51.42 percent, decreasing from 11,462 hectares in 2000 to 5,568 hectares in 2023.

The study titled “State of the Environment in Gazipur District: Implications and Excursion” was conducted by the River and Delta Research Center in collaboration with the Bangladesh River Trust, the Prokriti O Jibon Foundation and the Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (BELA).

The standards require areas to maintain 20-25 percent forest cover and 7-14 percent water. But Ghazipur currently has only 9.49 percent forest cover and 3.27 percent water cover.

The report highlighted significant rural-urban migration in Gazipur, with the urban population growing at a rate of 10.51 percent, while the rural population declined by 2.05 percent.

This migration was largely driven by employment in industry, which now employs 61.52 percent of the working-age population.

Industrial expansion in the county increased rapidly, with the number of industrial zones more than doubling between 2000 and 2023.

This growth increased the pollution of land resources and contributed to the encroachment of forests and water bodies.

In 2000, the district’s land was distributed as follows: 23.44 percent forests, 6.73 percent water bodies, 50.21 percent settlements, 5.21 percent industrial zones, 10.21 percent agricultural land, 3.19 percent open spaces.

By 2023, these numbers had changed significantly, with population coverage increasing to 65.83 percent and industrial areas to 8.73 percent. In contrast, forest cover decreased to 9.49 percent, water bodies to 3.27 percent, agricultural areas to 11.92 percent, and open spaces to only 0.77 percent.

An estimated 23,769 acres—or 59.5 percent—of forest cover has been lost in Gazipur over the past two decades due to uncontrolled development.
Gazipur’s rivers, canals and wetlands, important to its ecosystem and economy, are under serious threat from pollution and encroachment.

The study identified 247 major intrusion points and 161 points of active pollution in key water bodies, including the Turag, Labanda, Tongi, Mohor and Chilay rivers.

The Turag River, for example, suffers from the Markas Biel industrial effluent, while the Labanda River is overflowing with waste, including plastic structures, 15 municipal waste pipes and 39 visible industrial waste pipes.

Encroachment also significantly affected Mohor Hal, with 34 incidents recorded, mostly related to commercial activities and soil filling.

Illegal brick kilns along the Turag River further worsen the situation, contributing to pollution and encroachment. Meanwhile, traditional livelihoods such as agriculture and fishing face increasing threats.

The study recommended that municipal and national authorities take immediate action to address the environmental crisis in Ghazipur.

Stronger environmental policy and enforcement mechanisms are critical to preventing further degradation and restoring the natural balance of the area, the report said.