Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) sources said 1,08,000 hectares of land have been brought under tobacco cultivation in the country in the current season against 70,000 hectares last year. It shows that 38,000 hectares of more land have been brought under tobacco farming within a span of one year

Alarming rise in tobacco cultivation

The cultivation of tobacco is increasing in the country every year in the absence of any distinct state policy to discourage cultivation of the same.  A report on this appeared in a daily newspaper on September 13. It is clear as the daylight that  tobacco smoking is posing a serious threat to  food security and environment of the country. It is not that the government is encouraging tobacco cultivation. Bangladesh Krishi Bank (BKB) and the nationalized commercial banks (NCBs) are also not providing the farmers with loans to go for tobacco farming. But the tobacco companies are doing  it. They are enticing the gullible farmers with cash to cultivate tobacco on a  large scale. The growers of tobacco do not know what great harm they are doing to themselves and the country by swallowing the baits  of the companies.
Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) sources said 1,08,000 hectares of land have been brought under tobacco cultivation in the country in the current season against 70,000 hectares last year. It shows that 38,000 hectares of more land have been brought under tobacco farming within a span of one year. According to the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), in the year 2006-2007,  30,000 hectares of land were brought under tobacco farming. This gradual expansion is unwarranted. If this trend  goes on unabated it will not augur well for the country.  
For growing tobacco  more urea fertilizer and insecticides than growing paddy are used. As a result, the lands on which tobacco is grown  are fast losing fertility and are becoming unfit for growing other crops. This is leaving an adverse impact on the overall agricultural production . Rise in  the production and marketing of tobacco and tobacco-related products is also pushing the number of smokers up . This is a hazardous trend to say the least. That consumption of tobacco in the form smoking cigarettes and bidis and chewing the same is injurious to health has been explained by doctors and others concerned in various ways. 

Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) sources said 1,08,000 hectares of land have been brought under tobacco cultivation in the country in the current season against 70,000 hectares last year. It shows that 38,000 hectares of more land have been brought under tobacco farming within a span of one year

Alarming rise in tobacco cultivation

The cultivation of tobacco is increasing in the country every year in the absence of any distinct state policy to discourage cultivation of the same. A report on this appeared in a daily newspaper on September 13. It is clear as the daylight that tobacco smoking is posing a serious threat to food security and environment of the country. It is not that the government is encouraging tobacco cultivation. Bangladesh Krishi Bank (BKB) and the nationalized commercial banks (NCBs) are also not providing the farmers with loans to go for tobacco farming. But the tobacco companies are doing it. They are enticing the gullible farmers with cash to cultivate tobacco on a large scale. The growers of tobacco do not know what great harm they are doing to themselves and the country by swallowing the baits of the companies. Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) sources said 1,08,000 hectares of land have been brought under tobacco cultivation in the country in the current season against 70,000 hectares last year. It shows that 38,000 hectares of more land have been brought under tobacco farming within a span of one year. According to the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), in the year 2006-2007, 30,000 hectares of land were brought under tobacco farming. This gradual expansion is unwarranted. If this trend goes on unabated it will not augur well for the country. For growing tobacco more urea fertilizer and insecticides than growing paddy are used. As a result, the lands on which tobacco is grown are fast losing fertility and are becoming unfit for growing other crops. This is leaving an adverse impact on the overall agricultural production . Rise in the production and marketing of tobacco and tobacco-related products is also pushing the number of smokers up . This is a hazardous trend to say the least. That consumption of tobacco in the form smoking cigarettes and bidis and chewing the same is injurious to health has been explained by doctors and others concerned in various ways.