Study on land use pattern change and its causes

Land use of Sylhet has changed gradually. This is found from the field survey that in 1970 the area was dominated by marshy land (645.33 katha), vacant land (430.88 katha) and crop land (336.17 katha). By 1988 there was no university in the area. Residential area also increased. It covered 39.11 % of total study area. Now in 2007 there is a radical change noticed in the area in comparison with 1988. Population has increased and accordingly residential area has also increased. Now it covers about 58.71 % of the study area. A survey was conducted to judge the view of the old residents of the area about the change of the land use pattern. The impacts of land use changes are desertification, climate changes and hill cutting. Improper lands use like removal of vegetal cover brings about marked changes in the local climate of Sylhet. Deforestation changes rainfall, temperature, wind speed etc. It was observed that rainfall pattern; atmospheric window of Sylhet has been changed significantly within last ten years.