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Abstract
There is no reliable information till now on the conversion rate of agricultural land in Bangladesh into different non
agricultural sectors. The study was undertaken to estimate the present land use pattern and to calculate the changes
in land use of agricultural and non-agricultural field over time using aerial photographs of Trishal and Fulbaria upazila
of Mymensingh district. Two series of aerial photographs of both upazilas from 1983 and 2000 at scales of 1:40,000
and 1:25,000, respectively, were studied. Land use categories were calculated by random line drawing method on
effective areas of aerial photograph. In 1983, Total agricultural and non-agricultural land of Trishal upazila were found
29,505 and 4,095 ha accounting 87.81 and 12.2% of total land area, respectively. In Fulbaria upazila for the same
year, it was 35,611 and 4,258 ha accounting 89.3% and 10.7% of total land area, respectively,. An amount of about
3545 and 3637 ha agricultural land was transformed into non-agricultural land in Trishal and Fulbaria upazila,
respectively, within a period of 17 years. The rate of decreasing agricultural land to non agricultural land in Trishal
and Fulbaria upazila was estimated to be 0.62 and 0.54% /annum, respectively. Land use analysis shows that
conversion of agricultural land into settlement, transport network and water body contributed 88.07, 5.3 and 6.63% of
the land loss, respectively in Trishal upazila and 98.45, 1.3 and 0.12% of the land loss, respectively in Fulbaria
upazila. If similar trends in loss of agricultural land remain constant, there will be no land available for cultivation after
around 200 years. Therefore, it is very crying need for the country to make a land use policy for food security of the
rapidly growing population.