An agricultural potential map of Bangladesh was produced using ArcGIS showing areas where several

dimensions of agricultural potential overlap. The map shows that some regions of coastal

areas and some areas of the Haor basin and northwestern regions have the highest agricultural

potential – unused potential in two to three (out of four) dimensions. Most of these regions are agro-ecologically fragile and have lower productivity due to salinity, submergence and drought. Among them the north-west is affected by droughts and river erosion; the central northern region is subject to serious seasonal flooding that limits crop production; and the southern coastal zones are affected by soil salinity and cyclones.

Data sources for creating the map have been:

• District series of Yearbook of Agricultural Statistics 2010, Dhaka, Bureau of Statistics. Statistics Division, Ministry of Planning, Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh