The number of farm households has decreased to 53.82 per cent from 72.1 per cent (18.88 per cent fall) following rapid urbanisation over the period of 35 years and the declining farm households have instead shifted to non-agriculture sectors. The sixth preliminary report on the agriculture census 2019, unveiled by Jafor Ahmed Khan, project director and the director of the agriculture wing at the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), revealed this important shift at an event in the capital yesterday. Planning Minister MA Mannan was the chief guest at the preliminary report unveiling programme, while BBS Director General Mohammad Tajul Islam, Fisheries and Livestock Ministry Secretary Raisul Alam Mondal and Agriculture Ministry Secretary Md Nasiruzzaman were present.

A farm household is defined as a holding with the net cultivated area of 0.05 acre or more. According to the report, farm households in rural areas, which stood at 72.10 per cent in 1983-84, came down to 66.18 per cent and 56.74 per cent in 1996 and 2008, respectively. By 2019, such households reduced to 53.82 per cent, registering a 2.92 per cent drop from the previous year.

The report says the decreasing trend is observed in every division of the country, although the rate of decrease has not been

uniform in all the divisions.

In 1993-94, the percentage of farm households was 71.63 in Dhaka division. At present, it is 43.28. In Chattogram division, it was 73.16 per cent, which has come down to 51.15 per cent in 2019.

Barishal division, which had 76.82 per cent farm households in 1993-84, now has 69.26 per cent farm households.

In 1983-84, the percentage of farm households in Sylhet division was 73.93, which has come down to 52.85 per cent this year. The percentage of farm households in Rajshahi division was 70.60, which is now 54.71 per cent. The percentage of farm households in Khulna division was 75.80, which is 59.33 per cent at present.

In 2008, the percentage of farm households in Mymensingh division was 60.52, which is 58.32 per cent in 2019. In 2008, the percentage of farm households in Rangpur division was 58.71, which is 58.27 per cent at present.

The number of agriculture farm household is 1,65,62,974, which is 46.61 per cent of the total number. Among the rural and urban households, the share of agriculture household is 53.82 per cent and 10.46 per cent, respectively.

Barishal division has the highest agriculture farm households at 66.0 per cent, followed by Mymensingh and Rangpur division with 55.75 per cent and 55.47 per cent, respectively.

According to the report, there is a total of 3,55,33,180 dwelling households in the country, among which 2,96,24,975 (83.37 per cent) are rural and 59,08,205 (16.63 per cent) urban.

Dhaka division has the highest number (26.88 per cent) of households, followed by Chattogram and Rajshahi with 17.62 per cent and 13.57 per cent, respectively.

The report also finds the total number households belonging to fishermen is 9,95,135, which comprised 2.80 per cent of the total dwelling households.

Among rural and urban households, share of fisherman's household is 3.25 per cent and 0.53 per cent, respectively.

Barishal division has the highest of such households at 8.84 per cent, followed by Sylhet and Chattogram divisions with 5.80 per cent and 3.54 per cent, respectively.

The report finds that a significant number of households depend on the earnings as agriculture wage, which is 25.60 per cent among the total households.

Rangpur division has the highest of 42.04 per cent agriculture labour household, followed by Rajshahi and Khulna with 36.23 per cent and 35.82 per cent, respectively.

The report reveals that out of the total 3,55,33,180 households in the country, 40,24,189 (11.33 per cent) are landless. Among 59,08,205 urban households, 17,00,919 (28.79 per cent) are landless.

Among 2,96,24,975 rural households, the figure of landless household stands at 23,23,270 (7.86 per cent).

Dhaka division has the highest percentage (18.64 per cent) of landless households, followed by Sylhet and Khulna with 13.61 per cent and 9.80 per cent, respectively.

The report also reveals the number of livestock and poultry in the households. The total number of poultry stood at 18,92,62,901. The total number of cows is 2,84,87,415, while there are 7,18,411 buffaloes, 1,92,87,413 goats, 8,92,628 sheep, 18,92,62,901 chicken, 6,75,29,210 ducks and 14,45,420 turkeys.

The project director said the census operation was carried out throughout the country from June 9 to June 20, 2019.

“It collected information on235 items and the final report will come out within a year,” he added.

Planning minister Ma Mannan said: “We want a complete and accurate report as it is important for the development of the country. If any data is left out, it should be included.”

Secretary of the agriculture ministry, Md Nasiruzzaman, said: “At times, we have discrepancies in the accuracy of data collected from various ministries and BBS. It should be harmonised.”