Md Shamim Raza: The southern coastal regions of Bangladesh are increasingly devastated by the intrusion of saline water. In rural areas of Bhola, Patuakhali, Barguna, Khulna, and Satkhira, abnormal increases in salinity levels are putting agriculture, fisheries, livestock rearing, and normal human life under severe threat.

Once fertile land is now becoming almost barren due to salinity. Crops like rice, pulses, vegetables, and jute are no longer yielding as they used to. In many fields, cultivation has completely stopped.

Abdur Rahman, a farmer from Lalmohan in Bhola, said, “The land has turned saline. Even if I cultivate rice, I don’t get good yields. Years of hard work are going in vain. Land that once sustained our livelihoods now only brings despair.”

The situation is the same in Shyamnagar, Satkhira. Farmers there report that yields from one bigha of land have dropped to less than half of what they used to be. As a result, farmers are drowning in debt and losing hope.

Alongside agriculture, coastal women are suffering the most. Previously, they could use water from nearby ponds, canals, or tube wells. Now, even those sources have become saline. Every day, they must walk several kilometers to fetch water. This not only increases physical hardship but also poses health risks.

A woman from Galachipa, Patuakhali, said, “At dawn, I have to walk two to three kilometers to fetch water. Carrying these heavy jars on my shoulder is breaking my body. But if I don’t go, how will I feed my children?”

Children, too, are falling sick due to the lack of safe water. Drinking or using saline water is causing diarrhea, skin diseases, and gastric problems.

The coastal economy does not depend only on agriculture; livestock and fisheries are also vital. But rising salinity has created shortages of both fodder and water for animals. Livestock are falling ill, and milk production is declining.

Meanwhile, farming freshwater fish like rohu, catla, and tilapia has become difficult. Fish farmers are being forced to turn to brackish-water shrimp farming. Although shrimp farming is profitable in the short term, it further destroys soil fertility in the long run.

Environmentalists say that rising sea levels, changes in river flows, and seawater intrusion during cyclones and storm surges are the main causes of increased salinity. In the past, a certain amount of saline water entered with the tides, but now it has multiplied many times. Moreover, climate change has altered monsoon rainfall patterns. As a result, freshwater flow in rivers during the dry season decreases, and salinity rises.

An environmental researcher said, “Salinity is no longer just an environmental issue; it is a social and economic crisis. Agriculture, food security, water, and health—everything is at risk.”

The government has initiated projects in affected areas to improve irrigation systems, ensure water supply, and create alternative livelihoods. Some initiatives include rainwater harvesting and piped water supply. However, locals complain that these projects are insufficient and not reaching everyone.

A resident of Charfasson, Bhola, said, “The government is taking projects, but no clean water has reached our village yet. We are still suffering.”

Various NGOs are trying to supply safe water, raise health awareness, and create alternative livelihood opportunities. They are installing tube wells, providing filters, and launching women-led water projects. But the problem is so vast that NGOs’ limited efforts cannot solve it.

According to experts, short-term measures are not enough to tackle salinity. Long-term planning is needed. Restoring river flows, repairing embankments, sustainable water conservation, building coastal green belts, and developing salt-tolerant crop varieties—these are now urgent priorities.

An agricultural expert said, “If effective action is not taken quickly, within the next ten years, half of the coastal farmland may become uncultivable. This will impact national food security and the rural economy.”

Salinity in Bangladesh’s coastal regions is now an ongoing disaster. Farmers are losing land, women are struggling to collect water, and children and the elderly are facing health risks. This is not only an environmental problem but also a humanitarian crisis. Temporary projects are not enough; sustainable solutions are required—solutions that ensure safe water, food production, and stable livelihoods. Otherwise, the grip of salinity will push coastal life into even deeper peril.