Assignment – 2

Title – Agriculture and Agro ecological zones in Bangladesh

Submitted By:
Name: Maisha Zenan Hossain ( Srabony )
ID: 1531348630
Sec: 1

Submitted To:
Professor Dr. M. Nazrul Islam ( Mzs )
Course Name: Introduction to Geography
Course Code: GEO 205

Submission Date: 17/04/21

 Table of Content

Introduction 3-4

Bangladesh Agriculture 5 - 10

Agro – Ecological Zones 10 - 23

Conclusion 23

References 24
 Introduction

Most Bangladeshis earn their living from agriculture. Although rice and jute are the primary
crops, maize and vegetables are assuming greater importance. Due to the expansion of irrigation
networks, some wheat producers have switched to cultivation of maize which is used mostly as
poultry feed. Tea is grown in the northeast. Because of Bangladesh’s fertile soil and normally
ample water supply, rice can be grown and harvested three times a year in many areas. Due to a
number of factors, Bangladesh’s labor-intensive agriculture has achieved steady increases in
food grain production despite the often unfavorable weather conditions. These include better
flood control and irrigation, a generally more efficient use of fertilizers, and the establishment of
better distribution and rural credit networks. With 28.8 million metric tons produced in 2005-
2006 (July-June), rice is Bangladesh’s principal crop. By comparison, wheat output in 2005-
2006 was 9 million metric tons Population pressure continues to place a severe burden on
productive capacity, creating a food deficit, especially of wheat. Foreign assistance and
commercial imports fill the gap, but seasonal hunger (“monga”) remains a problem.
Underemployment remains a serious problem, and a growing concern for Bangladesh’s
agricultural sector will be its ability to absorb additional manpower. Finding alternative sources
of employment will continue to be a daunting problem for future governments, particularly with
the increasing numbers of landless peasants who already account for about half the rural labor
force. Due to farmers’ vulnerability to various risks, Bangladesh’s poorest face numerous
potential limitations on their ability to enhance agriculture production and their livelihoods.
These include an actual and perceived risk to investing in new agricultural technologies and
activities (despite their potential to increase income), a vulnerability to shocks and stresses and a
limited ability to mitigate or cope with these and limited access to market information.
Bangladesh, a country that covers an area of 147,570 square kilometers is one of the
predominantly agro-based developing countries in the world. Since her independence in 1971,
agriculture has been the core sector of Bangladesh economy, which is still contributing around
17 percent of the GDP and also providing employment to 45 percent labor force. Around 84
percent of the rural people of the country depend on agriculture for their livelihood directly or
indirectly. Moreover, it is the primary source of employment, livelihood, and food security for
the majority of rural people and also provides raw material to industry and contributes to country
exports. Although modern economy is largely dependent on industrialization, agriculture remains
the lifeblood for many agrarian economies like Bangladesh. It is proved that there is a positive
relation between agriculture and economic growth. Over time, the share of agriculture in GDP
has significantly declined in Bangladesh. But the contribution of agriculture to nonagricultural
growth has maintained an upward trend and it remains an irreplaceable driving force for
economic growth of the country. Agriculture sector in Bangladesh includes crops, forestry,
livestock and fisheries. Understanding the structure of agriculture and how it has evolved over
time is necessary for understanding the role of agriculture sector in the economy of Bangladesh.
Agricultural sector has been playing a key role in the overall socio-economic development of
Bangladesh since the independence of the country. The sector contributes a large in employment
generation, GDP growth, and the growth of other industries. The role of agriculture sector in the
economy in Bangladesh. Although agriculture sector is the largest and dominating sector in the
overall economic activities of the country, it has been facing many problems. The population of
the Bangladesh, most of which are highly dependent on agriculture for their livelihood, is still
growing very fast. The agriculture sector of the country will have to face a lot of challenges in
the near future. Agriculture plays a key role in the overall economic performance of Bangladesh
not only in terms of its contribution to GDP but also as a major source of foreign exchange
earnings and in providing employment to a large segment of the population, particularly the
poor.
 Agriculture in Bangladesh

Bangladesh has a primarily agrarian economy. Agriculture is the single largest producing sector
of the economy since it comprises about 30% of the country’s GDP and employs around 60% of
the total labor force. The performance of this sector has an overwhelming impact on major
macroeconomic objectives like employment generation, poverty alleviation, human resources
development and food security.

Most Bangladeshis earn their living from agriculture. Although rice and jute are the primary
crops,
wheat is assuming greater importance. Tea is grown in the northeast. Because of Bangladesh’s
fertile soil and normally ample water supply, rice can be grown and harvested three times a year
in many areas. Due to a number of factors, Bangladesh’s labor-intensive agriculture has achieved
steady increases in food grain production despite the often unfavorable weather conditions.
These
include better flood control and irrigation, a generally more efficient use of fertilizers, and the
establishment of better distribution and rural credit networks. With 35.8 million metric tons
produced in 2000, rice is Bangladesh’s principal crop. National sales of the classes of insecticide
used on rice, including granular carbo furan, synthetic, and Malathion exceeded 13,000
tons of formulated product in 2003 HYPERLINK \l “cite note-. The insecticides not only
represent an environmental threat, but are a significant expenditure to poor rice farmers. The
Bangladesh Rice Research Institute is working with various NGOs and international
organizations
to reduce insecticide, use in rice.

In comparison to rice, wheat output in 1999 was 1.9 million metric tons. Population pressure
continues to place a severe burden on productive capacity, creating a food deficit, especially of
wheat. Foreign assistance and commercial imports fill the gap. Underemployment remains a
serious problem, and a growing concern for Bangladesh’s agricultural sector will be its ability to
absorb additional manpower. Finding alternative sources of employment will continue to be a
daunting problem for future governments, particularly with the increasing numbers of landless
peasants who already account for about half the rural labor force.

Rice and jute are the primary crops, maize and vegetables are assuming greater importance. Due
to the expansion of irrigation networks, some wheat producers have switched to cultivation of
maize which is used mostly as poultry feed. Tea is grown in the northeast. Because of
Bangladesh’s
fertile soil and normally ample water supply, rice can be grown and harvested three times a year
in many areas. Due to a number of factors, Bangladesh’s labor-intensive agriculture has achieved
steady increases in food grain production despite the often unfavorable weather conditions.
These
include better flood control and irrigation, a generally more efficient use of fertilizers, and the
establishment of better distribution and rural credit networks. With 28.8 million metric tons
produced in 2005-2006 (July-June), rice is Bangladesh’s principal crop. By comparison, wheat
output in 2005-2006 was 9 million metric tons. Population pressure continues to place a severe
burden on productive capacity, creating a food deficit, especially of wheat. Foreign assistance
and
commercial imports fill the gap. Underemployment remains a serious problem, and a growing
concern for Bangladesh’s agricultural sector will be its ability to absorb additional manpower.
Finding alternative sources of employment will continue to be a daunting problem for future
governments, particularly with the increasing numbers of landless peasants who already account
for about half of the rural labor force.

Bangladesh is the fourth largest rice producing country in the world. National sales of the classes
of insecticide used on rice, including granular carbo furan, synthetic pyre thyroids, and
Malathion
exceeded 13,000 tons of formulated products in 2003. The insecticides not only represent an
environmental threat, but are a significant expenditure to poor rice farmers. The Bangladesh Rice
Research Institute is working with various NGOs and international organizations to reduce
insecticide use in rice.

Wheat is not a traditional crop in Bangladesh, and in the late 1980s little was consumed in rural
areas. During the 1960s and early 1970s, however, it was the only commodity for which local
consumption increased because external food aid was most often provided in the form of wheat.
In the first half of the 1980s, domestic wheat production rose to more than 1 million tons per
year
but was still only 7 to 9 percent of total food grain production. Record production of nearly 1.5
million tons was achieved in FY 1985, but the following year saw a decrease to just over 1
million
tons. About half the wheat is grown on irrigated land. The proportion of land devoted to wheat
remained essentially unchanged between 1980 and 1986, at a little less than 6 percent of total
planted area Wheat also accounts for the great bulk of imported food grains, exceeding 1 million
tons annually and going higher than 1.8 million tons in FY 1984, FY 1985, and FY 1987. The
great
bulk of the imported wheat is financed under aid programs of the United States, the European
Economic Community, and the World Food Programmed.

Food grains are cultivated primarily for subsistence. Only a small percentage of total production
makes its way into commercial channels. Other Bangladeshi food crops, however, are grown
chiefly for the domestic market. They include potatoes and sweet potatoes, with a combined
record
production of 1.9 million tons in FY 1984; oilseeds, with an annual average production of
250,000
tons; and fruits such as bananas, jackfruit, mangoes, and pineapples. Estimates of sugarcane
production put annual production at more than 7 million tons per year, most of it processed into a
coarse, unrefined sugar known as Gur, and sold domestically.

Wood is the main fuel for cooking and other domestic requirements. It is not surprising that
population pressure has had an adverse effect on the indigenous forests. By 1980 only about 16
percent of the land was forested, and forests had all but disappeared from the densely populated
and intensively cultivated deltaic plain. Aid organizations in the mid-1980s began looking into
the
possibility of stimulating small-scale forestry to restore a resource for which there was no
affordable substitute.

The largest areas of forest are in the Chittagong Hills and the Sundarbans. The evergreen and
deciduous forests of the Chittagong Hills cover more than 4,600 square kilometers and are the
source of teak for heavy construction and boat building, as well as other forest products.
Domesticated elephants are still used to haul logs. The Sundarbans, a tidal mangrove forest
covering nearly 6,000 square kilometers along the Bay of Bengal, is the source of timber used for
a variety of purposes, including pulp for the domestic paper industry, poles for electric power
distribution, and leaves for thatching for dwellings.

Bangladesh being a first line littoral state of the Indian Ocean has a very good source of marine
resources in the Bay of Bengal. The country has an exclusive economic zone of 41,000 square
miles (110,000 km2), which is 73% of the country’s land area. On the other hand, Bangladesh is
a
small and developing country overloaded with almost unbearable pressure of human population.
In the past, people of Bangladesh were mostly dependent upon land-based proteins. But, the
continuous process of industrialization and urbanization consumes the limited land area. Now
there
is no other way than to harvest the vast under water protein from the Bay of Bengal, which can
meet the country’s demand.

More than 80 percent of the animal protein in the Bangladeshi diet comes from fish. Fish
accounted
for 6 percent of GDP in the fiscal year of 1970, nearly 50 percent more than modern industrial
manufacturing at that time. Most commercial fishermen are low-caste Hindus who eke out the
barest subsistence working under primitive and dangerous conditions. They bring a high degree
of
skill and ingenuity to their occupation; a few of the most enterprising ones are aided by
domesticated otters, which behave like shepherds, swimming underwater, driving fish toward the
fisherman’s net (and being rewarded themselves with a share of the catch). Fish for local
consumption is generally of freshwater varieties.

As of the end of 1987, prevailing methods for culturing shrimp in Bangladesh were still
relatively
unsophisticated, and average yields per hectare were low. In the late 1980s, almost all inland
scrimping was done by capture rather than by intensive aquaculture. Farmers relied primarily on
wild post larval and juvenile shrimp as their sources of stock, acquired either by trapping in
ponds
during tidal water exchange or by gathering from local estuaries and stocking directly in the
ponds.
Despite the seemingly low level of technology applied to shrimp aquaculture, it became an
increasingly important part of the frozen seafood industry in the mid-1980s.

The World Bank and the Asian Development Bank financed projects to develop shrimp
aquaculture in the 1980s. Private investors were also initiating similar projects to increase
capacity
and to introduce modern technology that would increase average yields. About 65% of the total
population live in rural areas. Agriculture contributes about 13% to the country's GDP (2019).
About 23% of which is contributed by the crop sector alone. About 63% of the labor force is
employed in agriculture. About 57% being employed in the crop sector.

Training for the fishing industry of Bangladesh, as well as for merchant shipping and related
maritime industries are provided by the Bangladesh Marine Fisheries Academy. Fishing is
another
important activity in the country, contributing 4.9 percent to the GDP (1999-2000) and providing
6 percent of the total export income. The overall fish production was around 1.6 million metric
tons (1999-2000). Bangladesh mainly exports its shrimp to the international market.

Bangladesh also produces tea leaves, mainly for export, although the export of this product
contributes only 1 percent of the country's hard currency earnings. In 1998-99 the country
produced 56,000 metric tons of tea leaves, but it could produce twice that amount. The main
obstacle to increasing production is in falling prices for tea in the international market and in
management and regulation problems in the industry in the country.

Tropical rainforest is important for maintaining the ecological balance in Bangladesh, and
forestry
contributes 1.9 percent to the GDP (1999-2000). The forest covers around 17 percent of the
country's territory, or 2.5 million hectares (6.18 million acres). The timber is used by the
construction industry as a source of building materials, by the printing industry as a source of
materials to produce paper, and in the agricultural sector as a source of firewood. Commercial
logging is limited to around 6.1 million cubic feet, and the government plans to plant more trees
within the next 15 years.

Agro Ecological Zones

Agro ecological Zone land areas recognized on the basis of hydrology, physiography, soil types,
tidal activity, cropping patterns, and seasons. In fact, an agro ecological zone indicates an area
characterized by homogeneous agricultural and ecological characteristics. This homogeneity is
more prominent in the sub region and unit levels. The agro ecological zones of Bangladesh have
been identified on the basis of four elements such as physiography, soils, land levels in relation
to
flooding and agro climatology. Bangladesh has been tentatively divided into 30 agro ecological
zones. These 30 zones have been subdivided into 88 agro ecological sub-regions, which have
been
further subdivided into 535 agro ecological units.

Physiography forms the primary element in defining and delineating the agro ecological regions
in Bangladesh. Soils form the second element in defining and differentiating agro ecological
zones
as soil conditions determine important properties for plant growth, moisture supply, root aeration
and nutrient supply. The third factor is land level in relation to flooding. In this regard the
country
has been classified into four types of land level such as highland (land which is above normal
flood-level), medium highland (land which normally is flooded up to about 90 cm deep during
the flood season), medium lowland (land which normally is flooded up to between 90 cm and
180
cm deep during the flood season), lowland (land which normally is flooded up to between 180
cm
and 300 cm deep during the flood season), very lowland (land which normally is flooded deeper
than 300 cm during the flood season). An additional class, bottomland, is recognized for
depression
sites in any land level class which remains wet throughout the year. The depth limits between the
depth of flooding classes is not rigid. Flood levels in an area may vary by as much as a meter or
more between different years. They may also reach their peak levels for only a few days at a time
during a particular year. These classes actually indicate the level of flooding which farmers
expect
when they decide which crops to grow in the Khari season on their different kinds of land, based
on their long experience of cultivation on particular sites.

Highland may be suitable for Khari or perennial dryland crops if the soils are permeable.
Impermeable soils or soils which can be made impermeable by puddling may be suitable for
transplanted as and/or amen paddy if bunds are made to retain rainwater on fields. Medium
highland is suitable for crops which can tolerate shallow flooding, such as broadcast or
transplanted as paddy, jute and transplanted amen paddy. Early Khari dryland crops which
mature
before flooding starts can be grown on permeable soils, and late Khari and early rabbi dryland
crops on soils which drain in September-October. Medium lowland is flooded too deeply for
transplanted as or transplanted amen paddy to be grown reliably. Mixed broadcast as and
Deepwater amen is a common practice; or long amen seedlings may be transplanted as the
floodwater recedes. Dryland rabbi crops are widely grown on soils which drain in October or
November. Lowland is flooded too deeply for broadcast as or transplanted amen to be grown.
Deepwater amen is typically grown on such land, although the cultivation of irrigated boor
paddy
on such land in the dry season now precludes the cultivation of Deepwater amen over
considerable
areas of lowland. Dryland rabbi crops can only be grown if flood water recedes before
December.
Very low land generally is too deeply flooded for even Deepwater amen to be grown.
Bottomland
stays too wet for paddy to be sown broadcast. The traditional crop on such land is local boor
paddy,
either not irrigated or irrigated by traditional low-lift irrigation devices. In a few other areas
where
flooding normally does not exceed 1.5m, very long amen paddy seedlings are transplanted early
in the monsoon season. The fourth element considered in identifying agro ecological zones in
Bangladesh comprises the four climatic zones of the country. The combined agro climatic zones
could be superimposed on the zones and sub-regions to create unique agro ecological units.
The Agro ecological Zones (AEZ) database is unique and is being extensively used for national
and local level production planning purposes. The agro ecological resources are increasingly
playing an important role in agricultural planning, technology transfer and specific bio-physical
resource utilization programmer activities. The database on AEZ, however, needs updating as
 over time there have been some changes in the land types because of roads and other structural
measures, variability in precipitation and temperature as well as innovation of modern crop
cultivation which could survive under different environmental stress conditions. A brief
description of 30 AEZ regions is given below:

Zones/Region Sub Regions

s

1. Old Himalayan Piedmont a) North-central; b) Northern; c) Southern

Plain

2. Active Tista Floodplain Active Tista Floodplain

3. Tista Meander Floodplain a) Central; b) Eastern; c) Lower Atrai Floodplain; d) Lower Little Jamuna F
Southern North-western; f) Upper Little Jamuna and Middle Atrai Floodpla

4. Karatoya-Bangali a) Northern and Central; b) South-western

Floodplain

5. Lower Atrai Basin Lower Atrai Basin

6. Lower Punarbhaba Lower Punarbhaba Floodplain

Floodplain

7. Active Brahmaputra- Active Brahmaputra-Jamuna Floodplain

Jamuna Floodplain

8. Young Brahmaputra and a) High Jamuna Floodplain; b) Upper Brahmaputra Floodplain; c) Upper B
Jamuna Floodplain

9. Old Brahmaputra a) Bansi Valley; b) High; c) Low; d) Medium High; e) Medium Low
Floodplain

10. Active Ganges Floodplain Active Ganges Floodplain

11. High Ganges River a) Central and Southern; b) Ganges-Mahananda Floodplain; c) Northern
 Floodplain

12. Low Ganges River a) Central; b) Eastern

Floodplain

13. Ganges Tidal Floodplain a) Khulna Sundarban; b) Nonsaline, calcareous; c)Nonsaline, calcareous an
noncalcareous; e) Saline, Acid Sulphate Soils; f) Saline, calcareous and non
noncalcareous

14. Gopalganj-Khulna Beels Beel centres

15. Arial Beel Arial Beel

16. Middle Meghna River Middle Meghna River Floodplain

Floodplain

17. Lower Meghna River a) Calcareous, flood protected; b) Calcareous, unembanked; c) Noncalcareo
Floodplain Noncalcareous, unembanked

18. Young Meghna Estuarine a) Nonsaline: Central Bhola; b) Nonsaline: Meghna Estuary Charland; c) N
Floodplain Central Bhola; e) Saline: Noakhali, Hatiya and Meghna Estuary; f) Saline:

19. Old Meghna Estuarine a) Dhaka-Narayanganj-Demra Project Area; b) High: Old Meghna Estuarin
Floodplain Daudkandi-Habiganj; d) Low: Dhaka- Shariatpur-Barisal; e) Low: Eastern
Beels margins; g) Low: Habiganj-North Brahmanbaria; h) Low: Titas Floo
poorly drained: Laksham-Begumganj

20. Eastern Surma-Kushiyara Eastern Surma-Kushiyara Floodplain

Floodplain

21. Sylhet Basin a) Central and Southern; b) Northern; c) Western

22. Northern and Eastern a) Northern and Eastern Basins; b) Northern and Eastern Plains and Basins
Piedmont Plain Basins; d) South Sylhet Piedmont Plains

23. Chittagong Coastal Plain a) Beach Ridges, Mangrove Swamp and Mud Clay; b) Mangrove Tidal Flo
River Floodplains; d) Young Tidal Floodplain
24. St Martin’s Coral Island St. Martin’s Coral Island

25. Level Barind Tract a) Highland and Medium Highland; b) Medium Lowland and Lowland

26. High Barind Tract High Barind Tract

27. North-eastern Barind a) Mainly poorly drained; b) Mainly well drained; c) Mixed well drained an
Tract

28. Madhupur Tract a) Mainly poorly drained level terrace; b) Mainly well drained dissected ter

29. Northern and Eastern Hills a) Low hills and Piedmont Plains; b) Mainly high hill ranges; c) Mainly low

30. Akhaura Terrace Akhaura Terrace

Old Himalayan Piedmont Plain (4,008 sq km) this distinctive region is developed in an old
Tista
alluvial fan extending from the foot of the himalayas. It has a complex relief pattern. Deep,
rapidly
permeable sandy loams and sandy clay loams are predominant in this region. They are strongly
acidic in topsoil and moderately acidic in subsoils; low in weatherable K minerals. Seven general
soil types occur in the region, of which non-calcareous brown floodplain soils, black terai soils,
and non-calcareous dark grey floodplain soils predominate. Organic matter contents are
generally
higher than in most floodplain soils of Bangladesh. The natural fertility of the soil is moderate
but
well sustained. Soil fertility problems include rapid leaching of N, K, S, Ca, Mg and B. Most
of panchagarh and thakurgaon districts and the northwestern part of dinajpur district are included
in this zone.

Active Tista Floodplain (830 sq km) this region includes the active floodplains of
the tista, dharla and dudhkumar rivers. It has complex patterns of low, generally smooth ridges,
inter-ridge depressions, river channels and cut-off channels. The area has irregular patterns of
grey
stratified sands and silts. They are moderately acidic throughout and parent alluvium is medium
in
weatherable K minerals. Four general soil types occur in the region, and of them, non-calcareous
alluvium predominates. Organic matter contents and soil fertility level are low to medium.

Tista Meander Floodplain (9,468 sq km) this region occupies the major part of the Tista
floodplain as well as the floodplain of the atrai, little jamuna, karatoya, Dharla and Dudhkumar
rivers. Most areas have broad floodplain ridges and almost level basins. There is an overall
pattern
of olive brown, rapidly permeable, loamy soils on the floodplain ridges, and grey or dark grey,
slowly permeable, heavy silt loam or silty clay loam soils on the lower land and parent
materials medium in weather able K minerals. Eight general soil types occur in the region,
moderately acidic throughout, low in organic matter content on the higher land, but moderate in
the lower parts. Fertility level is low to medium. Soils, in general, have good moisture holding
capacity.

Karatoya-Bangali Floodplain (2,577 sq km) this region is very similar to the Tista Meander
Floodplain in physiography and soil, and comprises a mixture of Tista
and brahmaputra sediments.
Most areas have smooth, broad, floodplain ridges and almost level basins. The soils are grey silt
loams and silty clay loams on ridges and grey or dark grey clays in basins. Five general soil
types
occur in the region, of which non-calcareous grey floodplain and non-calcareous dark grey
floodplain soils predominate. The soil is moderately acidic throughout. Organic matter contents
are generally low in the cultivated layer of ridge soils and moderate in basins. General fertility is
medium. The eastern half of bogra and most of sirajganj districts are included in this zone.
Lower Atrai Basin (851 sq km) this region comprises the low lying area between the barind
tract and the Ganges river floodplain. It includes the chalan beel area. Dark grey, heavy, acidic
clays are predominating in this smooth low-lying basin land. Seven general soil types occur in
the
region. Organic matter, and status of other essential nutrients are medium, while level of
available
K (potassium) is high. Fertility status of soils is moderate.

Lower Punarbhaba Floodplain (129 sq km) this small region occupies basins

and beels separated by low floodplain ridges. In this area, dark grey, mottled red, very strongly
acid, heavy clays occupy both ridge and basin sites. Organic matter status is medium to high.
General fertility level is medium with high K-bearing minerals. The western part of naogaon and
the northern part of nawabganj districts are included in this AEZ.

Active Brahmaputra-Jamuna Floodplain (3,190 sq km) this region comprises the belt of

unstable alluvial land along the Brahmaputra-Jamuna rivers where land is constantly being
formed
and eroded by shifting river channels. It has an irregular relief of broad and narrow ridges and
depressions. The area is occupied by sandy and silty alluvium, rich in weatherable K minerals
that
are slightly alkaline in reaction. Six general soil types occupy the area. Organic matter status is
low and fertility status is low to medium.

Young Brahmaputra and Jamuna Floodplain (5,924 sq km) the region comprises the area of
Brahmaputra sediments. It has a complex relief of broad and narrow ridges, inter-ridge
depressions, partially in filled cut-off channels and basin. This area is occupied by permeable silt
loam to silty clay loam soils on the ridges and impermeable clays in the basins, neutral to slightly
acid in reaction. General soil types include predominantly grey floodplain soils. Organic matter
content is low in ridges and moderate in basins. Soils are deficient in N, P, and S but the status of
K and Zn are reasonable.
Old Brahmaputra Floodplain (7,230 sq km) this region occupies a large area of Brahmaputra
sediments before the river shifted to its present jamuna channel about 200 years ago. The region
has broad ridges and basins. Relief is irregular, especially near the old and present river channels.
Soils of the area are predominantly silt loams to silty clay loams on the ridges and clay in the
basins. Organic matter content is low on the ridges and moderate in the basins, topsoil’s
moderately
acidic but subsoils neutral in reaction. General fertility level is low.

Active Ganges Floodplain (3,334 sq km) this region occupies unstable alluvial land within and
adjoining ganges river. It has irregular relief of broad and narrow ridges and depressions
interrupted by cut-off channels and active channels. The area has complex mixtures of calcareous
sandy, silty and clayey alluvium. The general soil types, predominantly include, calcareous,
alluvium and calcareous brown floodplain soils. Soils are low in organic matter and mildly
alkaline
in reaction. General fertility level is medium but deficient in N.

High Ganges River Floodplain (13,205 sq km) this region includes the western part of the
Ganges river floodplain which is predominantly highland and medium highland. Most areas have
a complex relief of broad and narrow ridges and inter-ridge depressions. The upper parts of high
ridges stand above normal flood level. Lower parts of ridges and basin margins are seasonally
shallowly flooded. General soil types predominantly include calcareous dark grey floodplain
soils
and calcareous brown floodplain soils. Organic matter content in the brown ridge soils is low but
higher in the dark grey soils. Soils are slightly alkaline in reaction. General fertility level is low.

Lower Ganges River Floodplain (7,968 sq km) the region comprises the eastern half of the
Ganges river floodplain which is low-lying. The area has a typical meander floodplain landscape
of broad ridges and basins. Soils of this region are silt loams and silty clay loams on the ridges
and
silty clay loam to heavy clays on lower sites. General soil types predominantly include
calcareous
dark grey and calcareous brown floodplain soils. Organic matter content is low in ridges and
moderate in the basins. General fertility level is medium.

Ganges Tidal Floodplain (17,066 sq km) this region occupies an extensive area of tidal
floodplain
land in the southwest of the country. The greater part of this region has smooth relief having
large
areas of salinity. Riverbanks generally stand about a meter or less above the level of adjoining
basins. Non-calcareous grey floodplain soil is the major component of general soil types. acid
sulphate soil also occupies a significant part of the area, where it is extremely acidic during the
dry
season. Most of the topsoils are acidic and subsoils are neutral to mildly alkaline. Soils of
the sundarbans area are alkaline. General fertility level is high, with medium to high organic
matter
content.

Gopalganj-Khulna Beels (2,247 sq km) the region occupies extensive low-lying areas between
the Ganges river floodplain and the Ganges tidal floodplain. Soils of the area are grey, and dark
grey, acidic, heavy clays overlay peat or muck at 25-100 cm. General soil types include mainly
peat and non-calcareous dark grey floodplain soils. Organic matter content is medium to high.
Fertility level is medium.

Arial Beel (144 km) this region occupies a low-lying basin between the Ganges and dhaleshwari
rivers in the south of the former greater dhaka district. It has much in common with the lower
Atrai
Basin and the Gopalganj-Khulna Beels. The soils of this area are dark grey, acidic heavy clays.
Non-calcareous dark grey floodplain soil is the chief general soil type. Organic matter content
generally, exceeds two percent in the top subsoil. Available moisture holding capacity is
inherently
low. General fertility level is medium to high.

Middle Meghna River Floodplain (1,555 sq km) this region occupies an abandoned channel of
the Brahmaputra river on the border between the greater Dhaka and comilla districts. The region
includes areas of old Brahmaputra chars within the meghna river as well as adjoining parts of the
mainland. Soils of the area are grey loam on the ridges and grey to dark grey clays in the basins.
The dominant general soil type is non-calcareous grey floodplain soil. Topsoil’s are strongly
acidic
and subsoils slightly acidic to slightly alkaline. General fertility level is medium with low N and
organic matter.

Lower Meghna River Floodplain (909 sq km) this area occupies the transitional area between
the middle Meghna river floodplain and the young Meghna estuarine floodplain. Soils of this
area
are relatively uniform, silt loams occupy relatively higher areas and silty clay loams occupy the
depressions. Non-calcareous dark grey floodplain and calcareous grey floodplain soils are major
components of general soil types. Topsoil’s are moderately acidic and subsoils neutral in
reaction.
General fertility level is medium to high with low to medium organic matter status and K-
bearing
minerals.

Young Meghna Estuarine Floodplain (9,269 sq km) this region occupies young alluvial land in
and adjoining the Meghna estuary. The major soils are grey to olive, deep calcareous silt loam
and
silty clay loams, and are stratified either throughout or at shallow depth. Calcareous alluvium and
non-calcareous grey floodplain soils are the dominant general soil types. Topsoil’s and subsoils
of
the area are mildly alkaline. General fertility is medium but low in N and organic matter.
Old Meghna Estuarine Floodplain (7,740 sq km) this region occupies a large area, mainly low-
lying land between the south of the Surma-Kushiyara floodplain and the northern edge of the
young Meghna estuarine floodplain. Silt loam soils predominate on highlands and silty clay to
clay
on lowlands. Organic matter content of the soils is moderate. Topsoil’s are moderately acidic,
but
subsoils neutral in reaction. General fertility level is medium.

Eastern Surma-Kushiyara Floodplain (4,622 sq km) this region occupies the relatively higher
parts of the Surma-Kushiyara floodplain formed on sediments of the rivers draining into the
Meghna catchment area from the hills. This area is occupied by grey, heavy silty clay loams on
the ridges and clays in the basins. Organic matter content of the soil is moderate. Soil reaction
ranges from strongly acidic to neutral.

Sylhet Basin (4,573 sq km) the region occupies the lower, western side of the Surma-Kushiyara
floodplain. Relief is locally irregular near rivers. Soils of the area are grey silty clay loams and
clay loam on the higher parts that dry out seasonally and grey clays in the wet basins. The soils
have a moderate content of organic matter and soil reaction is mainly acidic. Fertility level is
medium to high.

Northern and Western Piedmont Plains (4,038 sq km) this is a discontinuous region occurring
as a narrow strip of land at the foot of the northern and eastern hills. The region comprises
merging
alluvial fans which slope gently outward from the foot of the northern and eastern hills into
smooth,
low-lying basins. Grey piedmont soils and non-calcareous grey floodplain soils are the major
general soil types of the area. Soils of the area are loams to clays, slightly acidic to strongly
acidic
in reaction. General fertility level is low to medium.
Chittagong Coastal Plain (3,720 sq km) this region occupies the plain land in
greater chittagong district and the eastern part of feni district. It is a compound unit of piedmont,
river, tidal and estuarine floodplain landscapes. The major problem in these soils is high salinity
during the dry season (October to May). Grey silt loams and silty clay loam soils are
predominant.
Acid sulphate soils occur in mangrove tidal floodplains. General fertility level of the soils is
medium, but N and K are limiting. Organic matter content is low to moderate.

St Martin's Island (8 sq km) this small but distinctive region occupies the whole of st martin's
island in the extreme south of the country. The area has very gently undulating old beach ridges
and inter-ridge depressions, surrounded by sandy beaches. The soils are developed entirely on
old
and young coral beach sands. Calcareous alluvium is the only general soil type of the area.
General
fertility level is low with poor moisture holding capacity.

Level Barind Tract (8 sq km) this region is developed over madhupur clay. The landscape is
almost level. The predominant soils have a grey, silty, puddled topsoil with ploughpan. Shallow
grey terrace soil and deep grey terrace soils are the major components of general soil types of the
area. The soils are low in available moisture holding capacity and slightly acidic too acidic in
reaction. Organic matter status is very low and most of the available nutrients are limiting.

High Barind Tract (16 sq km) it includes the southwestern part of the Barind Tract where the
underlying Madhupur Clay had been uplifted and cut into by deep valleys. The soils include
puddled silt loam to silty clay loam in the topsoil’s and porous silt with mottled plastic clay at
varying depth. Deep grey terrace soils and grey valley soils are major components of the general
soil types of the area. General fertility status is low, having low status of organic matter.

North Eastern Barind Tract (1,079 sq km) this region occupies several discontinuous areas on
the north-eastern margins of the Barind Tract. It has silty or loamy topsoil and clay loams to clay
subsoil. The soils are strongly acidic in reaction. Organic matter in the soils is low. General
fertility
is poor.

Madhupur Tract (4,244 sq km) this is a region of complex relief and soils developed over the
Madhupur Clay. The landscape comprises level upland, closely or broadly
dissected terraces associated with either shallow or broad, deep valleys. Eleven general soil types
exist in the area of which deep red brown terrace, shallow red brown terrace soils and acid basin
clays are the major ones. Soils in the valleys are dark grey heavy clays. They are strongly acidic
in reaction with low status of organic matter, low moisture holding capacity and low fertility
level.

Northern and Eastern Hills (18,171 sq km) this region includes the country's hill areas. Relief
is
complex. Hills have been dissected to different degrees over different rocks. In general, slopes
are
very steep and few low hills have flat summits. brown hill soils is the predominant general soil
type of the area. Organic matter content and general fertility level are low.

Akhaura Terrace (113 sq km) this small region occupies the eastern border
of brahmanbaria and
the southwest corner of habiganj district. The main soils in the uplands have strong brown clay.
The valley soils range from silty clay to clays. Deep red brown terrace soils, grey piedmont soils
and acid basin clays are the major components of the general soil types of the area. The general
fertility including organic matter status is low. The soils are strongly acidic in reaction.

Conclusion
In view of the fact that agriculture is the backbone of our national economy, top-priority should
be
given for the development of our agriculture. All time any government of Bangladesh has
undertaken various programmers for the improvement of agriculture. Bangladesh Agriculture is
now in the process of transformation from subsistence farming into commercial farming.
Bangladesh has already entered into the European Market for export of vegetables and other high
value crops. This process opens a vista to private sector investment in the areas of production of
high value crops, production of seeds (especially hybrid seeds), of chemical and blended
fertilizers,
agro-processing enterprises, etc. Finally, for longer term growth, well-designed management of
the water resources are absolutely essential and will be particularly important for adaption to
climate change.

References
There are no sources in the current document
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K7oTwAhXc5nMBHTN1Aso4ChDoATAAegQIAhAC

https://www.adb.org/sites/default/files/project-document/197946/49423-005-iee-02.pdf
https://ageconsearch.umn.edu/record/208444/files/4746-17254-1-PB.pdf

http://ajas.info/upload/pdf/15_100.pdf