Dynamics of Land Use and Land Cover Changes in Dhunat Upazila using Remote Sensing and GIS between 2000 and 2024

Abstract

Land use and land cover (LULC) changes significantly impact environmental sustainability, resource management, and land-use planning. This study analyzes the spatial and temporal dynamics of LULC changes in Dhunat Upazila, Bangladesh, between 2000 and 2024 using Landsat 5 TM (2000) and Landsat 8 OLI (2024) satellite imagery. Supervised Classification with the Maximum Likelihood Classification (MLC) method and Post-Classification Comparison (PCC) were applied to detect LULC transitions over time. The findings reveal a substantial reduction in agricultural land (-14.86 km²) and barren land (-4.96 km²), while vegetation (+16.82 km²) and water bodies (+2.99 km²) expanded. The accuracy assessment reported an overall accuracy of 81.5% (2000) and 84.2% (2024), with kappa coefficients of 81.34 and 84.42, ensuring classification reliability. The primary drivers of LULC transformation include agricultural expansion (22.30%), urbanization (18.70%), riverbank erosion (14.20%), and deforestation (12.40%). These changes indicate a shift towards increased vegetation cover and water body expansion, influenced by conservation measures, hydrological shifts, and socio-economic transformations. The study underscores the need for
sustainable land-use policies, adaptive agricultural strategies, and afforestation programs to enhance ecological resilience in riverine floodplains.