Exploresearch (ISSN: 3048-815X) ( Vol. 03| No. 1 | January - March, 2026 )

A Comparative Analysis of Land Use and Land Cover (LULC) Changes in the Indian and Bangladeshi Sundarbans using Remote Sensing

Author: Hitanshu Biswas & Dr. Deepak Kumar Sharma

The Sundarbans (also spelled Sunderbans) is the world’s largest mangrove forest, spanning approximately 10,000 km² across India (about 38%) and Bangladesh (62%). It features dense mangrove vegetation, tidal waterways, mudflats, and islands critical for biodiversity, coastal protection, and livelihoods. Land cover has changed significantly over decades, tracked primarily through Landsat satellite imagery and GIS analysis. The core mangrove forest shows degradation in density (dense areas converting to sparser vegetation or water), driven by erosion, sea-level rise, cyclones, and human pressures, though the overall extent remains relatively stable in protected core zones with signs of natural resilience in some areas. Dense mangroves mainly transitioned to moderate/sparse categories; sparse areas often became barren or inundated. Accuracy of classifications: 85–90% (kappa 0.81–0.87). Bangladesh portion (core protected area): Mangrove Forest cover remained largely stable overall, with minor bank/coastline erosion. Surrounding non-forested areas were converted to water bodies due to shrimp farming and aquaculture. Indian portion (more impacted near human settlements): Greater increase in sparse/barren land. Shoreline analysis (1980–2021) shows a net land loss of ~152 km² (243 km² eroded vs. 91 km² accreted). Erosion dominated eastern/southern lobes and southern sea-facing islands; western areas were more dynamic. This depleted moderate vegetation by ~174 km² (sparse gained slightly from accretion but overall vegetation suffered). The Sundarbans is losing dense mangrove cover and land area (especially in India), converting to sparser vegetation, barren zones, or water—but the ecosystem shows some resilience and recovery potential through regeneration. Protected status and reforestation have helped stabilize parts of it. Ongoing monitoring via satellite remote sensing is essential for management. This work is based on this remote sensing technique to see land use land cover pattern change over past years. For the latest high-resolution data, tools like Google Earth Engine continue to track these dynamics. Conservation efforts (e.g., mangrove planting, sustainable livelihoods) are critical to counter future sea-level rise and storms.

Biswas, H. & Sharma, D. (2026). A Comparative Analysis of Land Use and Land Cover (LULC) Changes in the Indian and Bangladeshi Sundarbans using Remote Sensing. Exploresearch, 03(01), 206–213. https://doi.org/10.62823/ExRe/2026/03/01.190

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DOI:

Article DOI: 10.62823/ExRe/2026/03/01.190

DOI URL: https://doi.org/10.62823/ExRe/2026/03/01.190

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