- Cereal crops like paddy, wheat and maize are important crops in northwestern Bangladesh. However, paddy farming provides low profits for farmers. - The study analyzed the costs and returns of producing different cereal crops on 173 farms. It found that maize production provided the highest gross margin and net return compared to paddy and wheat. - Regression and production function analyses showed inputs like pesticides and irrigation had significant impacts on crop returns. However, farmers' resource use was generally inefficient. - The findings suggest farmers are moving away from lower-profit paddy to more profitable crops like maize. This poses a threat to Bangladesh's food security that policy measures need to address.