GIS & REMOTE SENSING

This study analyzes the spatiotemporal changes in Land Use and Land Cover (LULC) of Barishal District between 2017 and 2024 using remote sensing and GIS techniques. Satellite imagery was classified into seven major categories—water, trees, flooded vegetation, crops, built-up area, bare ground, and rangeland—to detect land cover dynamics. The comparative maps reveal a significant increase in built-up areas, particularly around urban and river-adjacent zones, indicating rapid urbanization and population pressure. Concurrently, agricultural and vegetated lands have shown a noticeable decline, suggesting conversion of croplands into settlements and infrastructure. Water bodies and flooded vegetation exhibit seasonal and spatial fluctuations influenced by the region’s deltaic environment. The overall LULC transformation highlights ongoing environmental and socio-economic changes in Barishal, emphasizing the need for sustainable land management and urban planning. The study demonstrates how temporal mapping and spatial analysis can effectively support environmental monitoring and regional development policies. 

This study presents a comparative Land Use and Land Cover (LULC) analysis of the Sylhet region, Bangladesh, for the years 2017 and 2024, using remote sensing and GIS techniques. The main objective was to detect spatial and temporal changes in major land cover categories including water bodies, trees, flooded vegetation, crops, built-up areas, bare ground, and rangeland. Landsat satellite imagery was classified using supervised classification methods in ArcGIS, supported by field verification and accuracy assessment. The analysis reveals a noticeable increase in built-up areas from 2017 to 2024, particularly around urban and peri-urban zones, indicating rapid urbanization. Meanwhile, agricultural and vegetated areas show a gradual decline, reflecting ongoing land conversion and population pressure. Tree-covered and water areas display moderate fluctuation, while rangeland and bare ground remain relatively stable. Overall, the study highlights significant land transformation trends in Sylhet, emphasizing the importance of sustainable land-use planning and effective environmental management to balance development with ecosystem conservation.