Urbanization intensifies pressures on sustainable development, especially in the quickly growing cities of developing nations. This study investigates the transformations in land use patterns across Khulna City Corporation (KCC)Khulna City Corporation (KCC), Bangladesh, over a 34-year period (1990–2024), employing high resolution Landsat data and advanced remote sensingRemote sensing methodologies on the Google Earth Engine platform. This study employed supervised classification techniques, utilizing Random Forest algorithmsAlgorithm, to delineate alterations in land use and land cover (LULC)Land Use and Land Cover (LULC) across five specific thematic categories within the research area. The results of the analysis show that between 1990 and 2024, urban areas grew by 26%, directly replacing agricultural land (12% loss) and bare land (17% loss), reflecting a clear shift toward developed spaces over natural and productive landscapes. Vegetation experienced a non-linear trend, initially increasing before declining due to urban sprawl. The extent of water bodies varied over time, with the highest level recorded in 2020, while bare land gradually decreased throughout the study period. The accuracy assessmentsAccuracy assessment demonstrated overall accuracy exceeding 86%, with kappa coefficientsKappa coefficient of up to 0.98. The results highlight the urgent need for eco-friendly city planning to reduce harm to natural ecosystems and build resilience to climate challenges. This research pinpoints critical zones of rapid land use change, equipping policymakers’ insights to balance urban expansionUrban expansion and environmental protection while advancing green city development and promoting global dialogue. The significance of integrating community involvement and spatial design to enhance the sustainabilitySustainability and livability of urban ecosystems is emphasized by this study.