The present paper looks into the impact
of shrimp cultivation in the coastal areas. It has sharply focused on the cost
of development which is closely related to environmentally destructive
practices of the very poor.
It is generally claimed
that shrimp farming may have made 'partial improvement' in the economy of
Bangladesh by improving shrimp production without reducing paddy or salt
production in the coastal belt. This is perhaps true where the shrimp farming
has been responsive to the demand for timely release of the land for paddy or
salt cultivation. But in most cases, the shrimp farmers, either outsiders or
powerful local elites, have not responded positively to meeting this demand.
The net result has been quite disturbing.