The Third Asian Conference on Remote Sensing
Dhaka, Bangladesh 4-7 December, 1982

Formal Opening of the Third ACRS Air Vice Marshal Sultan Mahmud, Minister for Energy and Mineral Resources

Introduction

The Third Asian Conference on Remote Sensing was held at the Hotel Intercontinental, Dhaka, Bangladesh from December 4-7, 1982. It was organized by the Asian Association on Remote Sensing (AARS) and sponsored by Bangladesh Space Research and Remote Sensing Organization (SPARRSO), Japan Association of Remote Sensing (JARS), Japan Society of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (JSPRS), Tokai Research and Information Centre (TRIC) of Tokai University and International Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ISPRS)

Objectives

The objectives of the Second ACRS were:

1. To exchange academic and technical information,
2. To promote operational applications and
3. To discuss Asian problems in Remote Sensing

Message from His Excellency A.F.M. Ahsanuddin Chowdhury, the President of People's Republic of Bangladesh to the Third ACRS in Dhaka, 04 December 1982

I am very happy to know that the Third Asian Conference on Remote Sensing is going to be held in Dhaka.

Remote sensing technology is one of the latest sophisticated techniques in observing the nature from a distance above earth surface. Its extreme usefulness lies in its wider applications in natural resources survey and disaster monitoring throughout the world. Bangladesh is trying to keep pace with other nations in the application of the new technology to solve some of her own problems.

I am confident that the deliberations of the Asian Conference on Remote Sensing will help identify many of the problems and find their solutions. I hope the Conference will also strengthen the regional and International co-operation and understanding in the field of remote sensing.

I wish the Third Asian Conference on Remote Sensing a success.

Professor Shunji Murai addressing the inaugural session of the 3rd ACRS .

Opening Session

The 3rd ACRS was formally opened by Air Vice Marshal Sultan Mahmud, Deputy Chief Martial Law Administrator and the Minister for Energy and Mineral Resources, Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh. The opening session was attended by a large gathering of over 500 elites, including senior administrators, planners, policy makers and scientists in the country, as well as all the participants of the ACRS. The session was addressed among others by Professor Shunji Murai, General Secretary of AARS and was conducted by Mr. M.U.Chaudhury, Director, SPARRSO.

Two four page newspaper supplements were brought out by two leading dailies of Dhaka, the Bangladesh Observer and the Bangladesh Times, to commemorate the occasion. A message from the President of the People's Republic of Bangladesh was issued on the occasion.

Delegates:

A total number of 171 delegates from 16 Asian and non-Asian countries/ organizations participated in the 3rd ACRS. The countries present were Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Malaysia, Nepal, The Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Viet Nam, France, West Germany and U.S.A. Representatives from FAO and UN ESCAP participated as observers.

Scientific Deliberations

Participants of the 3rd ACRS on a field visit in the outskirts of Dhaka

A total number of 60 papers were presented. Of them, 10 were National Reports of different Asian countries and 50 were technical papers. The National Papers described the overall activities in each country in the field of Remote Sensing Technology and its applications. The technical papers dealt with research and development works in remote sensing, with particular reference to the applications of remote sensing technology in natural resources survey and disaster monitoring such as agriculture, forestry, landuse, water resources, marine resources, geol-ogy, geomorphology, cyclones and storm surges. There were also papers on data processing and system design.

The proceedings of the Conference highlighted the usefulness of the remote sensing technology in resource identification, monitoring and assessing, national development planning and disaster monitoring. The technique has some advantages over the conventional methods in many areas and in many ways. The proceedings also noted the rapid progress the Asian countries are making utilizing the technique to their benefit. Many nations in Asia have chalked out elaborate remote sensing programmes in various fields for their national development activities. Bangladesh is also keeping pace with such developments in the field of remote sensing.

ASIAN ASSOCIATION ON REMOTE SENSING (AARS)

Two sessions of the General Conference of the AARS were held during the 3rd ACRS. Representatives from different Asian countries were present. Dr A.M. Sharafuddin, Secretary-in-Charge, Science and Technology Division, Government of Bangladesh was elected Chairman of the AARS for the year 1983 and he presided over both the sessions. Mr M.A.H. Pramanik, who was Chairman of the Organizing Committee and Professor Shunji Murai, General Secretary of AARS supported the proceedings. These business sessions adopted a resolution that a bulletin of Asian Association on Remote Sensing shall be published and distributed to member countries four times per year.

Other Activities

Commercial Exhibits from SEP, France and Optronics International Inc. USA were the added attractions. A cultural show was organized in honour of the delegates. A technical visit to SPARRSO, as well as a site seeing tour to Savar at the outskirts of Dhaka, including a visit to and placing of floral wreaths to the National Memorial at Savar by the delegates was organized on the occasion.

Contributors
Dr. M. U. Chaudhury