NSDI Development Roadmap for the Survey of Bangladesh:

The survey of Bangladesh, in response to the NSDI Policy to be entering into force, envisions the active use of spatial data for various planning purposes. With the view to support the use of spatial data, the Survey of Bangladesh has proposed a roadmap to further enhance its capacity to make the NSDI available for users.

The proposed roadmap encompasses the upcoming 10 years’ expected achievements in three stages:  

The following figure illustrates the simplified three stage achievements which are identified in the drafted roadmap. By the final stage, updated and accurate base maps are constantly made available on NSDI, eliminating unnecessary duplication and redundancy in data collection.  

Figure: NSDI Development Roadmap for SOB - The Stages 

Bangladesh NSDI Framework 

Survey of Bangladesh will pursue the activities by following the proposed NSDI Development Roadmap. In doing so, there will be a need for collaborative governance under the NSDI Committee set by the NSDI Policy, and the administration by the NSDI-Lab, which needs to be established as the regulatory and technical body. The NSDI-Lab will be the institution to administer the NSDI Platform, enabling the provision of data and services to all users. This comprehensive framework of Bangladesh’s NSDI is illustrated in the following figure. It shows that the NSDI-Lab will be the main institution to pursue the activities towards the goal of the NSDI Development Roadmap. 

Figure: NSDI Framework for Service Provision 

NSDI-Lab [1]: Mission and Vision :

NSDI-Lab [2]: Institutional Setup: 

The NSDI-Lab may start as a cell in the Survey of Bangladesh, and then evolve to an executive agency with a mission to render NSDI development services. As a long-term vision, the NSDI-Lab may become an independent corporate entity supported by its own income as well as a service delivery agreement with the government.  

Table: Expected Institutional Evolution of the NSDI-Lab

NSDI-Lab [3]: Organisational Structure 

The Lab will be comprised of three major institutional functions; (1) making, (2) selling, and (3) supporting functions, headed by the Chief Executive Officer. The organizational structure of the proposed NSDI-Lab represents the concept of having the Lab evolve into an executing agency, and then to be incorporated as an autonomous institution in the long run.  

NSDI-Lab [4]: Stakeholder Involvement  

Among the various stakeholder relations that the NSDI-Lab will be dealing with, the relations with the central and the local governmental bodies will be the core of the inter-relations. This is because these bodies will be the important collaborators, clients, as well as the source of data. There will be paying clients and the non-paying clients who will directly enjoy the benefit of the NSDI related services to be offered by the NSDI-Lab. Networking activities may also cover proactive communications with the overseas mapping agencies and statistics bureaux. The NSDI-Lab will contribute to linking all those who possess and utilise the spatial data in Bangladesh bringing about benefits to all stakeholders.  

Figure: Major Stakeholders Surrounding the NSDI-Lab  

NSDI-Lab [6]: Preparations for the Establishment of NSDI Platform

The technical cooperation Project implemented in collaboration with JICA will be completed soon. However, preparation for the NSDI-Lab is yet to start at the Survey of Bangladesh. The work will have to start immediately after the completion of the NSDI Platform and the introduction of the NSDI Policy. Once the environment has been set, the Survey of Bangladesh, in collaboration with the relevant governmental bodies and the international community, shall commence the preparatory works on data management, institutionalization, and the drafting of the service delivery agreement with the governing body. The following figure illustrates the sequences of the works to be conducted for the establishment of the NSDI-Lab.  

NSDI-Institute [7]: Long Term Goal of becoming NSDI Institute 

The National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI) has long term goals to become an institute that design frameworks to facilitate the sharing and management of geographic data across various levels of government, the private sector, non-profit organizations, and academia. Hence by 2029, NSDI institute will be formed that improves the efficiency, integration, and accessibility of spatial information. The proposed NSDI Institute will encompass developing laws, policies, standards, technologies, and human resources necessary for the effective collection, storage, dissemination, and use of geospatial data. The institute will be instrumental in supporting decision-making processes related to environmental management, urban planning, disaster response, and national security, among other areas. The NSDI Institute will play a critical role in this ecosystem by providing leadership, education, and support to stakeholders involved in building and maintaining this vital spatial data infrastructure. Through its efforts, the Institute will aim to enhance the coordination and integration of geospatial data, ensuring that it is available to those who need it, when they need it, and in a format that is useful to them.