Analyzing socio-economic drivers and consequences of land use and land cover changes in the coastal belt of Bangladesh

This study aimed to investigate the pattern of LULC change and their associated socio-economic drivers as well as consequences in Patuakhali Municipality of Bangladesh during 2002 to 2022 using Landsat imageries, GIS technology, and a household survey. The study found a significant increase in built-up areas by two times, while the decrease of barren/farming land was by one-third. In terms of effectiveness, the demographic components were the most effective among all other categories, including environmental, infrastructural, citizen services, social, and transport & communication. The changes in LULC have negatively impacted the natural environment. Moreover, it compressed the consequences categorized by fifteen items, including the most significant items: increased residential cost, household expenditure, and infrastructural development. The findings of this study can be used to identify the development pattern in the study area. Moreover, this study can be applied to other cities to recognize the spatiotemporal changes and driving factors.