Agricultural land, the primary factor of food production, is essential for ensuring food security. Land constraints have led policymakers to promote agricultural intensification to achieve higher production, which is no longer sustainable. In Bangladesh, the consistent decline of agricultural land at a regional scale is a rising concern for food security. This study intends to assess the spatiotemporal changes in agricultural lands concerning food security, including temporary cropland, permanent cropland, and fallow land. LANDSAT satellite imagery for 1995, 2010, and 2022 were categorized using a hybrid image classification method. However, the study limits to produce higher accuracy as compromised due to the spatial resolution of LANDSAT imagery. MLP-CA Markov chain model was used to predict the agricultural land for 2041 by employing driver variables. The study finds around 15

Assessment of development plans particularly in terms of land use and land cover can strategically support conventional land use planning practices. This paper attempts to assess the land cover related proposals mentioned in the development plans of two small urban areas, namely Madaripur and Rajoir of Bangladesh, which are rapidly growing and facing shrinkage of agricultural lands and water bodies by such growth. Land cover data for the study have been extracted from Landsat satellite images of 1995, 2005 and 2015. The classified satellite data have been employed in a Multi-Layer Perceptron Markov model to predict the land cover scenario of the study areas for 2035, the terminal year for the development plans. The proposed development plan and the modelpredicted land cover maps of 2035 are both quantitatively and spatially compared. The study also determines the degree of conformance and identifies the affected sites within respective protected areas. The analysis reveals significant mismatches between the development plans and the model predictions for the unconstrained simulation of the model, whereas fewer differences are observed in the case of guided simulation. The results imply that lack of implementation of the development plans may result in undesired land cover transformations. It recommends employing remote sensing and GIS-based models to support the land-use plan-making process in the development authorities.

A unified land use classification system with mutually exclusive definitions of each land use category helps to avoid inconsistencies in the planning process and, most importantly, ensures effective implementation of development control tools. In Bangladesh, the planning authorities prepare land use plans by independently deciding the land use classes. This study aims to explore the nature of inconsistencies in the land use classification systems followed by different planning institutions in Bangladesh and understand their corresponding consequences. To conduct the study, land use plans prepared by different planning institutions have been collected. Based on descriptive analysis, the study shows that the types of land use classes in land use plans change over time, between administrative units, and in different parts of the country. Even authorities are not consistent in maintaining a classification system in their subsequent plans. Moreover, the plans retain ambiguous definitions of land use classes. The classification and definitions of the land use classes are not well linked with different national acts, rules, and policies relating to environmental and natural conservation, which makes it difficult to control development and protect natural, environmental, and cultural resources. This study has the potential to help us understand the importance of a unified land use classification system. Utilizing concept hierarchy, the study has also developed a system for land use classification in Bangladesh that will assist in future research, planning, and policymaking.

Local government bodies and other concerned agencies in developing countries spend a considerable amount of money on rural road development. However, in the absence of any robust and systematic methodology, road development largely relies on ad-hoc decisions and subjective judgement of public officials. Such a decision-making process often leads to inefficient resource allocation bypassing equity and long-term societal benefits. Although there are some established methodologies for road network planning, complexities exist in applying those methods. First, most of the established methods are not suitable for rural road development, particularly regarding the volume and nature of traffic on them. Second, some methods are highly complex and lack practical applicability. Third, road development planning should not be top-down alone but ensure the participation of local stakeholders. Given these limitations, this study proposes a methodology-Rural Road Planning and Prioritisation Model (RPPM). It consists of two major components (i) developing a core network in participation with local stakeholders and (ii) prioritisation of roads based on Cost-Benefit Analysis (CBA) and Multi-Criteria Analysis (MCA). The proposed method is piloted in one district, and a web-based software is also developed for practical implementation by the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED), Bangladesh. The paper also discusses the results of the pilot study.

COVID-19 has impacted the rental housing sector of Dhaka badly. During the first wave of the pandemic, the sector faced reduced demand for dwelling units and increased negotiation process between homeowners and tenants. Keeping the social and behavioural attitudes in mind, this qualitative research explores the effect of COVID-19 on the homeowners and tenants of Dhaka. It carries out seven in depth interviews- four owners and three tenants over telephone. It follows the COREQ (COnsolidated criteria for REporting Qualitative research) guidelines while reporting the findings. The study identifies two core themes- crisis perception and risk anticipation both for homeowners and tenants and one additional theme namely ‘functional restrictions’ for tenants in exploring the impact of the pandemic. Based on case by case analysis, corresponding coping strategies are identified and summarized accordingly. This study is the first in following thematic approach to understand the behavioural responses of homeowners and tenants during the pandemic. Findings have important implications for future housing policy formulation.

Abstract A unified land use classification system with mutually exclusive definitions of each land use category helps to avoid inconsistencies in the planning process and most importantly ensures effective implementation of development control tools. In Bangladesh, the planning authorities prepare land use plans independently deciding the land use classes. This study aims to explore the nature of inconsistencies in the land use classification systems followed by different planning institutions in Bangladesh and to understand corresponding consequences. To conduct the study, land use plans prepared by different planning institutions have been collected. Based on descriptive analysis, the study reveals that types of land use classes in land use plans vary across time, administrative unit, and geographic location. Even authorities are not consistent in maintaining a classification system in their subsequent plans. Moreover, the plans retain ambiguous definitions of land use classes. The classification and definitions of the land use classes are not well-linked with different national acts, rules, and policies relating to environmental and natural conservation which makes it strenuous to control development and protect natural, environmental, and cultural resources. This study has the prospects to understand the importance of a unified land use classification system. It also identifies the strategies which could be useful to develop a unified system for countries like Bangladesh.

Coronavirus disease was first reported in Bangladesh in March, 2019. As of 31 July 2020, there were about 2.4 million confirmed cases and more than three thousand deaths in the country and this number is expected to increase rapidly. It is crucial to detect existing hotspots, their evolution over time and emerging high-risk areas of the COVID-19 pandemic for the country to optimize resource allocation, facilitate informed decision making as the pandemic prevails. Using daily confirmed case data at district level, present study detects statistically significant clusters of coronavirus cases across the country between 8 March-27 June, 2020. Considering the geographical adjacency, population data, physical infrastructure, healthcare facilities and local awareness; these clusters have been identified. Global and Local Moran's I statistics measuring spatial autocorrelation are applied to unfold the spatial pattern and corresponding dynamics of COVID-19 spreading. Two nonparametric tests namely the Mann-Kendall (M-K) and Pettit tests are used to trace the temporal pattern and detect abrupt changes in the time series data. Effectiveness of applied government intervention is reviewed in conjunction with the spatio-temporal analysis. It is believed that these results can guide policy makers and local administrators to administer stricter interventions on public movement and social gathering, formulate socio-economic management strategies; and health officials to deploy resources for disease management. To the best of authors' knowledge, this study is the first of its kind that analyses spatio-temporal patterns applying twelve important disease related spatial attributes to monitor COVID-19 in a developing country like Bangladesh.

Current research is carried out with an intention to present an optimization approach for the urban land-use allocation problem by generating Pareto optimum solutions considering two objectives-maximizing compatibility among adjacent space uses of a study area without compromising the area's total land price and maximizing the price of plot of each individual owner. Considering the non-linear characteristics of the objective functions, a multi-objective evolutionary algorithm approach called Non-Dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm-II (NSGA-II) is applied to obtain Pareto optimal land-use allocation subject to different set of constraints. The objective functions are tested over a case study area of Dhaka, Bangladesh. The resulting NSGA-II model produces 24 Pareto optimal solutions of land-use allocation, allowing tradeoff between maximizing compatibility and land price from one solution to other. This research also expresses the potential of the model to aid the policymakers and city planners of development authorities by providing alternative land-use plans, and thereby predicting the consequences of any plan before practical application.

City cores, widely known as central business districts, are the most important part of a city that is also considered as economic center or business administration point. Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, is a mega city with ever-increasing population. Its gradual development pattern on the north has induced the growth of many cores. Being a small city with many cores, Dhaka possesses a unique characteristic that allows the functional area of these cores to hold characteristics of their own. This study aimed to find out the characteristic of these cores by identifying the functional area. Different studies mentioned Motijheel, Karwan Bazar, Gulshan–Banani, Mohakhali, and Mirpur as the city cores. The objectives of this study are to delimit the functional area of these cores by kernel density analysis on the basis of land-use concentration and compare the characteristics on the basis of space use, structure height, accessibility, and space rent. An updated GIS database of year 2016 has been used for this study. Kernel density and space index has been used in delimitating and determining the boundaries. Comparison of these cores has brought out their characteristics. These characteristics have showed that each of the cores has their own distinctive natures and properties. Therefore, these cores cannot be administered in a unified way. Considering this, the cores have been delimitated using observation on the basis of their characteristics. Development pattern of these areas needs to be monitored according to the present spatial condition of the city.

Flood, cyclone and storm surge, tornado, drought, river bank erosion are common natural hazards in Bangladesh. These hazards strike Bangladesh in regular interval and claim millions of lives, damage properties/assets and infrastructures, influence societal and daily life of people. The disaster caused by each hazard can be classified into direct damages, first-order losses and higher-order/induced losses. In Bangladesh disaster impact assessment are mainly confined with the estimation of direct damages and sometimes with the first-order losses. Assessment of induced losses are almost absent in the disaster related studies for Bangladesh. We argue that assessment of induced losses are necessary to determine individual and community vulnerability, and optimum level of disaster preparedness, mitigation and recovery. This paper demonstrates how InputOutput framework can be employed to analyze higher-order disaster impacts for Bangladesh. JBIP, Vol. 11, 2018 (Printed in June 2020), pp. 11-19

The study of the structure of industrial sectors of a region is important to understand the growth and development of a region's economy. The national growth of a sector is a driving factor for the progressing of that sector in a region. Shift Share analysis is a standard long-run regional analysis technique for assessing the performance of sectors in the regional economy. It highlights the performance of a region’s mix of industries and the uniqueness of a regional economy. This study seeks to quantify how much of the growth of an industry of a region is attributable to national growth and how much is proliferated by locational factors using Shift Share Components. Employment data of thirteen sectors from the “Economic Census-2003 and 2013? report has been analyzed for seven districts of Barisal and Chittagong division. The comparative analysis of the selected districts reveals that Hotel and Restaurant sector is flourishing in all of the districts for both positive influences of external and internal factors while Real Estate and Renting, and Transport, Storage and Communication activities have been lagging for all the districts. All of the districts, except Bhola and Pirojpur would become economically weak in the long run, while Rangamati district is in economic malaise relative to the other districts. Thus, Shift share would be useful for the regional planners to set investment targets by identifying high-performing regional industries.

This research investigates the impact of cyclone Sidr on six regional economic systems of Bangladesh. The study uses secondary data on direct damages and corresponding changes in consumer spending and public/private investment expenditure. It employs input–output modeling and simulates the changes in national and regional output, income, and employment due to cyclone Sidr. Our findings indicate that coastal regions of Bangladesh—Barisal, Chittagong, and Khulna—are more vulnerable to cyclone disaster than are other parts of the country. The cyclone-induced loss of output is highest for Chittagong Division and income and employment losses are greatest in Barisal Division. The most affected sectors are housing services, agriculture, construction, and industrial activities. But sectoral losses vary widely across the regions. This research also finds that the present state of consumer spending and investment expenditure is not great enough to handle cyclone-induced output, income, and employment losses. It argues that investment decisions must consider regional patterns of output, income, and employment losses in different economic sectors to ensure cyclone-resilient development in Bangladesh.

In this paper, the effects of submergence due to heavy rainfall and river over flow on rice production in the coastal Barisal region of Bangladesh are investigated. Plot level data is used to compare rice yields of cultivars in high and low submergence prone areas and to analyse variation in yield when high-yielding varieties (HYVs) versus local seeds are used. Results suggest that rice yields are, on average, some ten per cent lower in ‘high submergence areas’ relative to ‘low submergence areas’. Both depth of submergence and duration have a negative effect on yield, with local varieties of rice seemingly better adapted to submergence. The widely grown Aman variety of rice faced an average of nine days of submergence in 2010, with 31 per cent plots under 1-3 meters of water for 3-7 days. Aman yield is regressed on a number of variables including submergence factors and it is found that depth has significant negative effect than duration of submergence on Aman production. The findings suggests that an additional 13,564 hectares of Aman area in Barisal is likely to be inundated for 3-7 days in 2050 due to sea level rise and increased storm surge events. Correspondingly, given current levels of technology, it can be predicted that a production loss of 10,856 tons of Aman will take place in the future. The study recommends the introduction of submergence tolerant rice cultivars, integrated farming of rice crop, vegetable, fish and poultry; vegetable gardening on floating bed; duck rearing in submerged area and low-cost water control technologies as adaptation options against climate change.

Based on secondary data, this research investigates induced effects of flood disaster scenarios on national and regional output, income and employment through Input–Output model. It traces direct damages and corresponding change in consumer spending and public/private investment during Floods of 2004 and 2007, and estimates the interaction of various economic sectors for six regions of Bangladesh. The study finds that though direct flood damages devastate the economy of Bangladesh, the nation ultimately overcome the adverse impacts by changing consumer behavior and employing diversified investment options. The results indicate that Dhaka, Rajshahi and Sylhet are more vulnerable to flood disasters compared to coastal regions, i.e. Barisal, Chittagong and Khulna, of Bangladesh. Dhaka and Rajshahi faced major output loss, while Sylhet faced noteworthy income and employment loss due to flood disasters. The study finds Barisal as the least affected region. Loss of output and employment is maximum for agriculture sector for any region and most importantly such higher order effects are unrecoverable through current state of public/private investment. Present state of consumer spending and public/private investment, however, have helped industry and construction sector to recover from flood damages. The study recommends to explore alternate employment opportunities against output, income and employment loss of agriculture sector. It urges to consider regional variation while taking different measures to tackle flood disaster.

The structure and performance of industrial sectors of a region is an impelling factor in determining the growth of a region’s economy. In Bangladesh, a great heterogeneity in economic growth exists among different regions along with the administrative divisions. This study investigates the short run and long run spatio-temporal variation of regional economies of the six divisions of Bangladesh. Location Quotient and Shift share method have been employed with gross divisional product and gross domestic product at constant price for the year 1995-96 to 1999-2000 as parameter. The comparative analysis of the six divisions reveals that Fishing and Construction sector have been the most flourishing industries and Real Estate, Renting and Business activities has been lagging for all the six divisions during the timeframe. Barisal district is in economic malaise relative to the other divisions and hence requires special attention to be in pace of consistent economic growth. Journal of Bangladesh Institute of Planners, Vol. 8, Dec 2015, pp. 135-144

In this paper, we use genetic algorithm based optimization models for urban land use allocation. We consider a multi-objective function for the planners, which simultaneously maximizes land prices and reduces incompatibility among adjacent land uses for an area. Land price of each and every plot of real estate developer is also optimized in response to the rules set by city development authorities. The differences in opinions of these two stakeholders are highlighted for a case study area of Bangladesh. The ultimate goal is to look for a computationally easy and efficient tool for generating and evaluating feasible land use plans to facilitate the allocation decision.

Ahsan Manzil, situated on the left bank of the river Buriganga, is one of the most significant heritage sites of Bangladesh. This site is one of the major sources of recreation for the inhabitants of Dhaka, particularly for the dwellers of the congested Old Dhaka. But the conservation of this invaluable heritage site and its management have always failed to receive proper attention of the concerned authorities. The current research mainly focuses on visitors’ characteristics and preferences for Ahsan Manzil and people’s willingness to pay for the attributes offered by this place. Selected socio-economic variables concerned with the tourists are tested for association with the frequency of visit using chi-square analysis. The priority attributes for visitors in choosing the Ahsan Manzil are analyzed using Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). Then some policy suggestions have been made in the study. Journal of Bangladesh Institute of Planners Vol. 5, Dec 2012, pp. 139-150