Problems of Sources of Data and Maps for Integration in a GIS Format in Bangladesh

Author: Md. Shahedur Rashid
Organization: University of Durham

Durham DH1 3LE
County Durham, England.
Durham, DH1 3LE
The United Kingdom

Phone: +44-191-374-248
Fax: +44-191-374-245
m.s.rashid@durham.ac.uk

There are a lot of problems of secondary hard and soft data/maps collected from difference sources in developing countries. Particularly, this is true when it is essential to use all of those databases/maps for integration in a GIS environment. Only GIS has the capacity to use all of the data in a single platform. In this study the author focuses on the presentation of some of the database problems found by government agencies, citing examples particularly from Bangladesh at a local administrative (thana) level. The major conventional map and attribute data sources of Bangladesh are DLRS (or the former Bengal Drawing Office), LGED-HQ, Thana LGED, SRDI, BBS, RAJUK, BARC, Thana Authority, Agriculture Extension Department, local municipality, and so on. Major problems of these organizations are the lack of proper coordination, and users of these databases for common purposes are facing a lack of integration. In this paper an attempt is made to identify those problems from the practical viewpoint of using ArcInfo and ArcView GIS software. Certain are guidelines developed.