Buffer zone (BZ) concept has emerged to minimize degradation of natural resources and enhance balanced land use planning for the areas where existing urban and peri-urban landscapes are threatened by rapid land use change. The primary aim of the study is to seek a better understanding of land use planning and governance in BZ surrounding the core zone of the Chittagong Metropolitan Area. Through questionnaires and interviews, the study also identified the key stakeholders’ inclination and influence on land use decisions, i.e., preservation versus urbanization of the BZ. Then, the national and international policies of BZ management were reviewed to check the overall validity and credibility of the analytical results. The results revealed that the respondents in the responsible authorities have demonstrated a positive inclination to urbanization rather than preservation of BZ, whereas non-governmental organizations, practitioners, and academics have supported preservation rather than urbanization. In addition, the study also reported the conflict in interagency and multi-level coordination for urban development. In the national level, core zone development gains more support by containing ‘strategic open space’ and ‘no development zone.’ However, it contradicts the regional plan which allows the reduction of green coverage from 46.20 to 32.56%. Therefore, to achieve BZ management practices in a consistent and sustainable manner, overcoming knowledge and inclination gap, as well as effective coordination of land use governance, is critical.