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High labor wages brought on by a shrinking agricultural labor force, as well as promises of increased crop yields and decreased labor requirements, have spurred the adoption of agricultural mechanization in Bangladesh. Due to these factors, the market for more complex agricultural machinery, such as rice transplanters and combine harvesters, is growing substantially in Bangladesh. As a result, a market has developed for agricultural workshops to manufacture spare parts within the local communities. However, the current manufacturing practices of local agricultural workshops limit their ability to produce high-quality parts that can compete with spare parts imported from China. This paper presents the analysis of the manufacturing processes used in the manufacturing of two key spare parts for the mechanization of planting and harvesting in Bangladesh: rice transplanter claws and combine harvester blades. The manufacturing processes proposed in this paper use machine tools and manufacturing processes that are ubiquitous in Bangladesh, such as grinders and drill presses. Additional manufacturing processes, such as blanking and forming with punch and die sets, are proposed as the methods for increasing product quality and reducing the manufacturing time required to produce complex geometries, such as those found on rice transplanter claws and combine harvester blades. The results from the experimental testing and the finite element simulations of the deformation processes indicate that local manufacturing of high-quality rice transplanter claws and combine harvester blades is viable with the proposed manufacturing processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aimed to examine the role of faith‐based organizations (FBOs) in the distribution of social assistance (SA) during the COVID‐19 pandemic in Bangladesh. The paper adopts a qualitative case‐study approach to explore the best practices in the distribution of SA by five (5) organizations including FBOs, governmental organizations (GOs), Non‐governmental organizations (NGOs), political groups, and private voluntary groups. In this study, 14 beneficiaries of SA were selected by stratified proportionate random sampling method, and five (5) key personnel were selected purposively based on their experiences in the management of SA distribution. The study found that "no‐move, no touch" approach followed by FBOs is more likely to establish human rights and social justice and reduce the transmission of diseases. In contrast to the modern idea, which undermines the faith‐based charity, the study proved that faith‐based charity is gaining attraction as an effective approach combating global pandemic. The findings of this paper will be useful for policymakers, voluntary service workers, GO, and NGO workers to ensure the distribution of SA in a more productive and disciplined way during and after an emergency like the COVID‐19 pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current research aims to investigate the connection between supervisors' perceived high-commitment performance management (HCPM) and their performances (in-role, extra-role, and deviant work behavior). In addition, this paper aims to examine how perceived organizational support (POS) mediates the above relationship. The paper employs the social exchange theory as the theoretical lens to develop and suggest a positive motivational work environmental model. Our model is tested on a sample of 430 supervisors from ready-made garment (RMG) organizations, Bangladesh. Using the PLSSEM, our model examines the direct and indirect effects of HCPM and POS on job performances. We find supports for the existence of a positive relationship from HCPM to job performance through POS mediating such a relationship. Future studies may investigate the prospective of HCPM and POS to create ideal work environments that boost employee productivity and benefit enterprises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Power and influence are important concepts in world politics. In this process, every country tries to maximize its interests and influence over other countries. The present world order, soft power, plays an important role in influencing others' policy-making processes in one's favor to establish a world order. This paper aims to give an overview of Chinese soft power and find out whether Chinese soft power is creating a debt trap or becoming a shared interest for both Bangladesh and China. Based on secondary sources, the paper has found that although Chinese soft power, especially its growing investment in Bangladesh, is a part of establishing its influence, it is a shared interest rather than a debt trap. Different infrastructure development projects are opportunities for Bangladesh, as that will open the door to economic development if Bangladesh can effectively utilize them, although China's investment can put Bangladesh's economy under pressure. However, economic and political instability, fragile institutions, growing corruption, leadership crisis, etc. are more harmful to its economy and can lead to an economic crisis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The banking system of a country is a predictor of its economic prosperity. However, the financial sector has experienced contradictory reactions. The rise of non-performing loans is a notable feature of the banking industry's financial crisis. According to Bangladesh Bank, state-owned banks are prone to substantial collapses, which have a knock-on effect on the entire commercial banking sector. The aim of the study is to determine the impact of nonperforming loans on the growth of the banking system in Bangladesh. The paper is mostly an investigative desk study that prioritizes secondary data. Nonetheless, primary data was used, such as in-person interviews with bank personnel and staff, as well as casual conversations with clients. Secondary sources for this article include Bangladesh Bank bulletins, current newspapers and periodicals, some published and unpublished research reports, various websites, and a large number of peer-reviewed publications. The paper incorporates multiple regression analysis to assess the impact of non-performing loans on banking sector growth from 2012 to 2021. The findings revealed a highly significant inverse correlation among NPL, CRAR, and ROE, as well as a significant but negative relationship among NPL, ROA, NIM, and SLR. However, the alternative hypothesis is accepted, whereas the null hypothesis is rejected. Therefore, NPLs have a severe effect on banking advancement since they worsen banks' liquidity issues, lower profitability, trigger capital constraints, and even jeopardize the financial system's stability and viability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the Covid-19 pandemic, the earnings of migrant workers decreased due to joblessness and the lack of new work. Against this backdrop, this paper aims to look at the potential of rural entrepreneurship as a form of financially managing the insecurity and vulnerabilities caused by the pandemic. The literature review shows that although international migration has played a crucial role in economic growth in Bangladesh, remittance has been underutilized and not translated into investment usually. The qualitative research methodology of the paper followed the thematic analysis design method to apprehend and explain the research findings. The findings of the study indicate that despite several challenges, rural entrepreneurship can indeed be a sustainable livelihood alternative that improves the resilience of returnee migrants. The right kinds of skillsets and adequate measures to tackle the infrastructural and socio-political barriers can boost rural entrepreneurship appreciably. Other recently published research works also highlight that entrepreneurship can be an effective tool for the reintegration of returnee migrants. This paper concludes that the sustainability of rural entrepreneurship will require engaging local development organizations, forming incubation and support centers, and organizing peer support groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Disaster early warning information, if it reaches the communities at-risk with enough lead time, allows individuals to evacuate and subsequently save their lives and livelihoods. However, in many areas of Asia, early warning information does not reach the communities at-risk. Even if it does reach them, the warning information is unclear, distorted, or delayed. This paper aims to understand the underlying factors affecting the dissemination of early warning information, and how it hinders community evacuation in the event of a disaster. It specifically looks into the tools and procedures that are adopted in early warning systems (EWS) as well as the challenges that the communities experienced in receiving the warning information. The paper presents three case studies, including the coastal communities in Bangladesh, the Himalayan communities in Bhutan, and the herder communities in Mongolia to investigate the challenges in EWS. In these communities, the ground-based telecommunication systems, internet and cellular network, have limited coverage. Additionally, the communication infrastructures in these areas are vulnerable to disruptions during extreme disaster events. Using satellites to transmit the warning information to communities at-risk will not only augment the existing ground-based EWS but will also improve evacuation procedures. While this paper builds the case for using the Quasi-Zenith Satellite System (QZSS) to enhance the effectiveness of disseminating early warning information, such effort alone is not enough. Subsequent policy and practical actions must be also undertaken to improve the early warning systems to facilitate effective evacuation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently worldwide Islamic finance has gained considerable attention. However, Islamic financial institutions face multiple risks to sustaining and growing further. Against this backdrop, the paper examines the impact of both liquidity and credit risk on the efficiency of Islamic banks (IBs) operating in Bangladesh. This paper uses IB's data from 2007 to 2018 and offers a two-stage assessment. In the first stage, it uses data envelopment analysis (DEA), and in the second stage regression models to assess the impact of both liquidity and credit risk on the efficiency of the IBs. Efficiency scores confirm that IBs are operating with an 86% efficiency level through a 68% share in the constant returns to scale (CRS). Our results also confirm that both liquidity risk (LR) and credit risk (CR) have a significant impact on the efficiency of the IBs in Bangladesh. A higher score for efficiency is shown by a higher liquidity risk, whereas mixed results are confirmed by credit risk indicators. Moreover, the Z-score (a bank stability measurement) and number of branches (a measurement of the bank's network coverage), have a positive impact on efficiency. On the other side, the size of the bank and the financial crisis period show a negative relationship with the bank's efficiency. The findings of our paper significantly contribute to the Islamic banking sector, especially for the policymakers and academic researchers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to analyse and critically reflect on access to Assistive Technology (AT) for persons with disabilities (PWD) in Nepal, India and Bangladesh. This analysis aims to guide the development of a contextualised generic AT service delivery model suitable for these countries, based on the best practices identified. This paper is based on a comprehensive study conducted in Nepal, India and Bangladesh, observing mobility and hearing-related AT service delivery centres run by the government, as well as private and nongovernmental organisations, and interviews with key informants: policymakers (5), AT service providers (20) and AT service users (20) between December 2019 to February 2020. A descriptive, qualitative exploratory study design was followed. A quality assessment framework was used to structure the analysis and interpret the findings. AT service provisions are poorly developed in all three countries. On all quality indicators assessed, the systems show major weaknesses. AT users have very limited awareness about their rights to these services and the availability of AT services, the range of services available is very limited, and eligibility is dependent on medical criteria related to visible and severe disabilities. Lack of accessibility, eligibility, reachability and affordability are the main barriers to access AT services for PWD in Nepal, India and Bangladesh. Increased community level awareness, increased Government funding and a community based, medically informed flexible social model of AT services is a way forward to ensure access to AT services for PWD in these countries. Increased community awareness is necessary to increase access to Assistive Technology Services for Persons with Disabilities. Increased and flexible funding from the Government and philanthropists will improve rehabilitation. Establishment of community based Assistive Technology Services centres will increase access and improve rehabilitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Knowledge sharing in rural agricultural communities is vital to the success of farmers and sustaining high yields. A range of actors in the knowledge landscape participate in knowledge sharing, and with this, a variety of complexities are introduced. In this paper, we report on a set of field visits, interviews and focus groups in various settings to understand this complex nature of the knowledge landscape. Our study was set within multiple locations within 20 miles North‐East of Dhaka, the capital city of Bangladesh. Our findings highlight the high level of interconnectedness of different actors in the agricultural communities and the complexities involved in establishing trust of information. We report on the importance of fostering successful relationships within the communities and the growing strains of climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper sheds light on the intertwined aspects of gender, power, and emotion by exploring the lived experiences of Rohingya adolescent girls who are at risk of GBV which is widespread in camp settings. Narrative interviews and focus group discussions offered opportunities to twenty-five unmarried and married adolescent girls to talk about gender-based discrimination and violence in everyday household and community practices that reconstruct gender and power dynamics and shape girls' emotions. Drawn from the elements of the three domains of power (Mcdonald, 1980), the paper shows that the prevailing sexist practices in Rohingya society divide "girls" and "boys" into two different categories and create conditions for subordination of girls on the basis of sex-based irrational differentiation. Such power capability rooted in the contexts of power bases put boys as a group in the position to use power in extreme form as violence and successful power use underlies power outcomes. Importantly, negative emotions such as sadness, fear, anger, guilt, and disgust interact with these three domains of power. Projects that define power as empowerment would be supportive for girls' empowerment and experience of positive emotions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Framework Analysis (FA) and Applied Thematic Analysis (ATA) are qualitative methods that have not been as widely used/cited compared to content analysis or grounded theory. This paper compares methods of FA with ATA for mobile health (mHealth) research. The same qualitative data were analyzed separately using each methodology. The methods, utility, and results of each are compared, and recommendations made for their effective use. Methods: Formative qualitative data were collected in eight focus group discussions with physicians and nurses from three hospitals in Bangladesh. Focus groups were conducted via video conference in the local language, Bangla, and audio recorded. Audio recordings were used to complete a FA of participants' opinions about key features of novel mHealth application (app) designed to support clinical management in patients with acute diarrhea, called FluidCalc: Rehydration Calculator for Acute Diarrhea. The resulting framework analysis was shared with the app design team and used to guide iterative development of the product for a validation study of the app. Subsequently, focus group audio recordings were transcribed in Bangla then translated into English for ATA; transcripts and codes were entered into NVivo qualitative analysis software. Code summaries and thematic memos explored the clinical utility of FluidCalc including clinicians' attitudes about using this decision support tool. Results: Each of the two methods contributes differently to the research goal and have different implications for an mHealth research timeline. Recommendations for the effective use of each method in app development include: using FA for data reduction where specific outcomes are needed to make programming and design decisions and using ATA to capture the more nuanced issues that guide use, product implementation, training, and workflow. Conclusions: By describing how both analytical methods were used in this context, this paper provides guidance and an illustration for use of these two methods, specifically in mHealth design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The COVID-19 epidemic significantly impacted daily life and led to the adoption of significant steps to stop the virus's spread. Educational institutions and social gatherings were placed on prolonged lockdown, with people continuing to maintain physical distance. As a result, students of all classes are highly engaged in using the internet. In this article, the usage of the internet of the student's Information Science and Library Management, University of Rajshahi are studied. The aim of the present study was to examine the usage of the internet during the post-pandemic. Furthermore, this research aims to investigate the internet usage rate, career development, academic development through the internet, the efficiency of online classes etc. Methods A questionnaire data collection method was used. The respondents were randomly selected from the department of Information Science and Library Management, University of Rajshahi. For the research, some data were entered and analyzed using SPSS and Biblioshiny software. Findings The research shows that the respondent had an average age of 23. The results of this paper show that the data of students are relatively valuable, and it shows that students had not only wasted their valuable time using the internet aimlessly but students had developed their career besides academic improvement. Students had developed many extra-knowledges through the internet, such as, language learning, IT skills, reading e-books habit etc. COVID-19 influenced the daily life of students as internet usage impacted on both positive and negative sides. However, most of the respondents were in rural places during the pandemic. Limitations The first barrier was time and financial supports for conducting the study. In addition, the study was conducted on a limited sample. The further research can be conducted within a broader area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Red ear syndrome is a rare disorder in which the colour of the ear suddenly becomes red, with discomfort, pain and a burning sensation. This paper reports a case of primary red ear syndrome presenting with vestibular migraine. Case report: A 39-year-old woman from Bangladesh reported dizziness and repeated headaches experienced since 18 years of age. She initially attended our hospital with dizziness aged 34 years. When dizzy, the colour of her right ear sometimes became red. Therefore, she was diagnosed with red ear syndrome with vestibular migraine. Conclusion: This patient experienced repeated episodes of a red ear with discomfort, leading to the diagnosis of red ear syndrome. In addition, she had repeated dizziness and headaches, and was also diagnosed with vestibular migraine. The diagnosis of red ear syndrome with vestibular migraine should be considered in cases of dizziness and headache with recurrent redness of the ear. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Globally, a traditional management model has generally been used to manage disaster situations, including in Bangladesh. In Bangladesh, the government mostly uses the preparedness policy for pandemic outbreak case management. With regard to the limitations arising from the pandemic outbreak the current research will investigate the following questions: when facing a devastating situation, what exactly is the nature of the pandemic outbreak management model incorporated at the governmental level? Keeping these questions in mind, the intention of the existing model is to provide smooth and appropriate assistance to recover from a pandemic outbreak, and to implement effective governance of the situation. This research will identify deficiencies in the current epidemic management policy in Bangladesh, and will assist in forming a new model and developing a systematic procedure for managing future pandemic outbreak situations. The main deficiency in Bangladesh's pandemic management is that the policy paper has failed to identify all hazardous events that may occur in a pandemic outbreak. In most cases, it has underestimated the issues of bioethical responsibility toward the different stakeholders affected during the devastating situation of a pandemic outbreak. The policy does not emphasize the bioethical model; therefore, it fails to encourage support for either public protection or an ethically friendly management system. The model proposed in this article demonstrates an appropriate way to reduce or, if possible, avoid potential damages and losses from a pandemic outbreak. The model aims to prioritize the problems that need assistance to recover from the outbreak. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The inclusive philosophy of good governance is almost indispensable for the development of state democracy in Bangladesh. However, the Bangladesh government is fighting a malicious virus in the governance structure that is visible in all sectors of the state. Against this backdrop, an attempt has been made to comprehend the general state of good governance in Bangladesh according to World Governance Indicators (WGI) of the World Bank. This study is based on mixed approach containing quantitative data from World Bank website (world economy.com) and qualitative data from the existing literatures. The collected data have also been analysed through table, chart and text. This paper found that the current situation in Bangladesh is appalling and detrimental to the socio-economic development of the country. This situation is crisscrossed by overpopulation, politicization, bureaucratization, corruption, poverty, broken law and order, and the narrow game of politics. This paper then outlines some of the policy guidelines needed to define good governance principles in Bangladesh. The results of this study are expected to be useful for policymakers in devising appropriate strategies to ensure good governance at all levels of government. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Speaking is a good form of anxiety among IELTS examinees around the world. Examinees well efficient in speaking often fail to claim a good score in this particular kind of band. They think of it as a big hurdle to speak before an examiner, create own story for conversation and make understand the examiner what message and information he possesses. This scenario happens to both native and non-native speakers, though non-natives go through a great struggle in the way of speaking. The purpose of this paper is to highlight IELTS speaking as a form anxiety and stressful matter. IELTS candidates find speaking session non-interactive but a way of demonstration which leads the candidates towards obstacles in getting good score. In fact, speaking in IELTS examinations requires some specific techniques in which examinees can make a positive impression upon examiner’s minds overcoming all kinds of psychological barriers like stress, and anxiety and confusion in the way of speaking. This paper will focus on the anxieties in terms of IELTS speaking, scenario of speaking performance in IELTS and lack of speaking performance and possible remedies from psychological backdrops. In addition, this paper will concentrate on the conduction of research work in the context of Bangladeshi examinees where IELTS examination has become popular for many academic and professional or vocational reasons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper uses a randomized controlled experiment in which farmers trained on a new rice cultivation method teach two other farmers. The results show that the intervention increases yields and farm profits among treated farmers. Teacher-trainees are effective at spreading knowledge and inducing adoption relative to just training. Incentivizing teacher-trainees improves knowledge transmission but not adoption. Matching teacher-trainees with farmers who list them as role models does not improve knowledge transmission and may hurt adoption. Using mediation analysis, the study finds that the knowledge of the teacher-trainee is correlated with that of their students, consistent with knowledge transmission. The paper also finds that systems of rice intensification (SRI) knowledge predicts adoption of some SRI practices, and that adoption by teacher-trainees predicts adoption by their students, suggesting that students follow the example of their teacher. With cost-benefit estimates of social returns in excess of 100 percent, explicitly mobilizing peer-to-peer (P2P) transmission of knowledge seems a cost-effective way of inducing the adoption of new profitable agricultural practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the mutual relationship between gender‐based violence (GBV) and cyclone‐related disasters. Evidence is sparse on this topic, especially in‐depth research attending to the cultural and socioeconomic aspects of locality. The work reported here is based on a case study of a coastal district of Bangladesh (Barguna)—conducted shortly after Cyclone Roanu struck the country in May 2016—that aimed to shed light on the mechanisms linking GBV to cyclones through the eyes of survivors. The paper maps out the different forms, experiences, and impacts of GBV before, during, and after cyclones, and argues that such events lead directly and indirectly to GBV, and that GBV makes women and children more vulnerable to the effects of disasters. Climate change, economic losses, and poverty compound this cyclical relationship. A conceptual framing, drawing on the notion of 'slow violence', is developed to understand the layering of diverse types of violence that operate on seemingly different temporal and spatial scales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to empirically shed light on the pertinence of enhancing trade and foreign capital flows with relevance to stimulating greater use of renewable energy resources across selected South Asian economies namely Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. The economic transition from the use of non‐renewable energy tothe renewable alternatives is an interesting genre of research keeping the partial attainment of the United Nations' 2030 Sustainable Development Goals agenda into consideration. Against this milieu, trade and financial liberalization policies are anticipated to play a pivotal role in facilitating the renewable energy transition phenomenon across South Asia. The overall results from the econometric analyses imply that higher degrees of trade openness and greater foreign currency inflows can invariably play critically important roles in amplifying the shares of renewables in the total energy consumption levels across this region. Thus, these findings impose key policy implications for attainment of energy sustainability across South Asia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The goal of this article is to examine opportunities and show the approach of using big data analytics to boost productivity in the case of clothing manufacturing factories in a sustainable way. The Bangladeshi manufacturing industry is mainly dominated by the apparel and textile sector for a long time now, and this has seen a large growth over the years. However, this industry is still far from using the latest technologies to improve productivity even further and bring sustainability. Usually, manufacturing operations involve the generation of a large amount of structured or unstructured, useful or non-useful data on a daily basis. This huge amount of information is known as big data, which is difficult to handle by using traditional data management and analysis tools. However, with the help of big data analytics used in a proper method, the collected information can be used to track insufficiencies in different areas of manufacturing operations. This research is conducted based on a similar idea where problems are identified, and production data collected from a garments manufacturing plant in Bangladesh are analyzed. Based on real factory data, several hypothetical frameworks were developed to implement and analyse the production data with the help of big data analytics, computerized sewing machines, radio frequency identification (RFID) tags and passive infrared sensors. The paper also shows an estimated implementation cost and return on investment of the suggested approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since August 2020; the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b) in collaboration with UNICEF has been operating a COVID-19 field hospital at the Teknaf sub-district of Cox's Bazar in Bangladesh. This paper is focused on estimating the effects of a history of tobacco smoking and pre-existing co-morbidities on the severity of COVID-19 infection among adult patients admitted into the aforesaid hospital. We conducted a retrospective data analysis of COVID-19 adult patients hospitalized from August 27, 2020 to April 20, 2022. Based on inclusion criteria; a total of 788 admitted patients were included in the analysis. We conducted a Chi-squared test and Fisher's exact test for the categorical variables to see their associations. Multinomial logistic regression models were performed to explore the risk factors for the severity of COVID-19 infection. Among 788 patients, 18.4%, 18.8%, 13%, 7.1%, 3.4%, and 1.9% have had a history of smoking, hypertension, diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), cardiovascular diseases (CVD), and asthma respectively. Overall, the mean age of the patients was 40.3 ± 16.4 years and 51% were female. In multivariate analysis, history of smoking and co-morbidities were identified as the risk factors for the severity of COVID-19 infection; the history of smoking was found linked with an increase in the risk of developing critical, severe, and moderate level of COVID-19 infection- notably 3.17 times (RRR = 3.17; 95% CI: 1.3–7.68), 2.98 times (RRR = 2.98; 95% CI: 1.87–4.76) and 1.96 times (RRR = 1.96; 95% CI: 1.25–3.08) respectively more than the patients who never smoked. It was evident that patients with at least one of the selected co-morbidities such as hypertension, diabetes, COPD, CVD, and asthma exhibited a significantly higher likelihood of experiencing severe illness of COVID-19 compared to patients without any co-morbidity. History of tobacco smoking and pre-existing co-morbidities were significantly associated with an increased severity of COVID-19 infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Tobacco use, in both smoking and smokeless forms, is highly prevalent among South Asian adults. The aims of the study were twofold: (1) describe patterns of SLT and combustible tobacco product use in four South Asian countries stratified by country and sex, and (2) assess the relationships between SLT and smoking intensity, smoking quit attempts, and smoking cessation among South Asian men. Methods: Data were obtained from South Asia Biobank Study, collected between 2018 and 2022 from 148,944 men and women aged 18 years and above, living in Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, or Sri Lanka. Mixed effects multivariable logistic and linear regression were used to quantify the associations of SLT use with quit attempt, cessation, and intensity. Results: Among the four South Asian countries, Bangladesh has the highest rates of current smoking (39.9% for male, 0.4% for female) and current SLT use (24.7% for male and 23.4% for female). Among male adults, ever SLT use was associated with a higher odds of smoking cessation in Bangladesh (OR, 2.88; 95% CI, 2.65, 3.13), India (OR, 2.02; 95% CI, 1.63, 2.50), and Sri Lanka (OR, 1.36; 95% CI, 1.14, 1.62). Ever SLT use and current SLT use was associated with lower smoking intensity in all countries. Conclusions: In this large population-based study of South Asian adults, rates of smoking and SLT use vary widely by country and gender. Men who use SLT products are more likely to abstain from smoking compared with those who do not. What this paper adds?: • Tobacco use remains a leading risk factor of chronic disease in South Asia. Smokeless tobacco use is particularly popular in this region, even among adult women. Evidence on smokeless tobacco use and smoking cessation are inconclusive and may be dependent on specific cultural and historical factors. • Contemporaneous data on smokeless and combustible tobacco use patterns in South Asia are limited. Little is known whether SLT use is associated with smoking cessation in South Asia where the vast majority of the world's SLT users reside. • This study provided information on patterns of SLT use and smoking in four South Asia countries using a large population-based sample of 148,944 adults collected between 2018 and 2022. We observed that SLT use was associated with higher smoking cessation and lower smoking intensity among men. Strengthening SLT product regulation may have important population health implications with the changing tobacco use landscape in South Asia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Bangladesh, fishing communities are one of the most climate-vulnerable groups, though they play an important role in economic development. The main objective of this study was to identify vulnerability by exploring exposure (i.e., lack of regulating services or household capitals), susceptibility (i.e., lack of access to provisioning services), and lack of resilience (i.e., lack of alternative livelihoods and capacity) and to explore adaptation options, and challenges to understand risk governance. The study considered 45 published research articles for analysis following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Keywords were used in combinations (e.g., fishing communities and Bangladesh) to identify and screen published articles. Articles published in English focusing on vulnerability and/or risk governance, published between 2011 and 2022, featuring original empirical data or a comprehensive systematic review, and published in peer-reviewed journals were included. Articles were excluded if vulnerability and risk governance were evaluated but did not fit or match the definition used in this study. The study found frequent disasters and ocean warming caused different stresses, such as reduced fish catch and income, and resulted in an increased risk of fisheries conflict. Moreover, fishing communities have limited access to properties, modern fishing equipment, financial institutions, and fisher-centered organizations. Adaptation strategies include ecosystem-based (e.g., plantation, payment for ecosystem services) and non-ecosystem-based (e.g., temporary migration, getting help from neighbors) approaches. To boost fish production, the Government of Bangladesh instituted fishing restrictions and social safety net programs (e.g., distributing rice during the fishing restrictions); both initiatives were helpful. However, the conservation policies are not being implemented properly, and there is no particular social welfare, such as banking systems, and low- or no-interest loans being provided that may support fishers to buy fishing equipment or generate alternative income sources. Considering the previous evidence of risks, this paper recommends that fisheries conservation policies be implemented properly, and fishing communities be provided with insurance services and no- or low-interest loans. This will contribute to reducing the climate-induced social-ecological risk and improve sustainable livelihoods that can withstand any regional, national, or local crisis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several Asian countries that encourage international migration of labour call their emigrants 'national heroes and heroines' because of their contributions to foreign currency reserves and subsequent national development. However, the massive involuntary return amid the COVID-19 pandemic and the health risk associated with returning from virus-affected regions, such as the Gulf states, call the development narratives of migrants and migrant remittances into question. This study examines the experiences of Gulf return migrants in Bangladesh, focusing on their arrivals at the airport, their travels home, their receptions at the origin communities, their financial hardship upon return and the shifting development narratives in the origin country. The paper draws on primary data, collected through interviews of Gulf returnees in Bangladesh between 2020 and 2021. This study finds that the image of migrants as 'national heroes' is not only challenged during the pandemic but replaced almost overnight by a new one, such as 'COVID-19 super-spreaders'. This research reports that migrants confront with unpleasant circumstances during their return migration process that render their return to their country of origin disgraceful. The paper stresses developing policy measures to protect involuntary returnees from victimisation and disgraceful circumstances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

River bank erosion of alluvial rivers is one of the major challenges for river management. This paper deals with the prediction of the fluvial erosion rate along the left bank of Jamuna River in Bangladesh using the excess shear stress method. Surface water modelling systems i.e. SMS and SRH-2D, were used to estimate the hydrodynamic effects on the riverbank along the 8.21 km reach of the river. Riverbank along the selected reach of Jamuna River consists of two layers of soil type. The upper layer soil is sandy silt with a median size of D50 = 0.028 mm and the bottom layer is silty sand with D50 = 0.167 mm. Results of the present analysis show that shear stress along the riverbank attains its maximum and initiates the bank erosion, when the flow rate is about 45,000 m3/s. Based on the results obtained from model run and empirical analysis, riverbank materials have been categorized as 'erodible' to 'very erodible', as far as erodibility parameters are concerned. Critical shear stress of bank soil is found to be varied between 0.15 and 0.22 Pa using erodibility co-efficient ranges between 5.05 and 6.03 cm3/N s. From this study, the maximum bank erosion rates have been estimated as 51.95 m/year to 69.82 m/year. However, average erosion rates have been estimated which range between 38.65 and 40.57 m/y. It is hoped that the results obtained from the study will be helpful in determining the riverbank stability for the implementation of appropriate river protective measures along the riverbank of Jamuna River. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bangladesh is currently making preparations to transform its entire trade onto a digital platform. Bangladesh is prepared to initiate this transformation through the implementation of logistics, legal, technological, and knowledge-based support mechanisms. This study examines the ways by which the implementation of these supports can be compelled within the structure of international frameworks. To find that possible ways the article seeks to evaluate the evidence that supports including updated laws and regulation, customs house etc., the notion that digital trade is predominantly a tradeable and compatible platform, aligning with the established framework of traditional paper-based transactions. This study employs digital technology to investigate the transformative impact it has had on international trade procedures. This research also investigates the effects of digitization in trade transactions on the global competitiveness of Bangladesh. This research also identifies and analyze the challenges and opportunities associated with the implementation of digital trade in comparison to traditional trade operations, which is associated with the implementation of the Bangladesh Single Window (BSW) system within the entire transformation of trade in ASYCODA (The Automated System for Customs Data) World Systems. The BSW & ASYCODA systems are designed to enhance the interchange of information and promote connectivity between public and commercial trade-related bodies in Bangladesh. To understand the perceptions of the stakeholders' primary data has collected through a descriptive research where a survey questionnaire has used for this purpose, along with that secondary data sources are also used to achieve the desired outcome. This study finding will enhance our comprehension of the effects of digitization on global trade and offer vital insights that will assist stakeholders in attaining sustainable growth and fostering innovation. The digital trade transition represents a new and promising possibility in the context of Bangladesh in the area of trade transactions. This study identified how a nation undergoes a steady transition from traditional trade practices to digital transformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Having a historical legacy of the relationship between culture and nature, literature in Bangladesh has always incorporated ecological concerns. The study aims to explore the cultural attitude towards nature and environment in Bangladeshi short stories. It is observed that literature explicitly and implicitly aims to define and impart values with profound ecological implications. Hence, it has become an urgent matter these days to address the environmental concerns that have also seen to be impeding or challenging the aesthetic sensibilities. However, this study explores how environmental disasters in Bangladeshi short stories highlighting both life and fiction explicitly ties the representation to global reality. For the purpose of research, the study intends to analyse Selina Hossain's short stories that talk about the inseparable relation between human and nature. However, the narrative in the selected short stories allows for a literary exploration of the relationship between Bangladeshi people and the natural resources available to them. The depiction in the text raises and addresses questions, which should be at the heart of the critical meta-discourse environment studies. This paper analyses ecocriticism in "Death", "Khoai Nodir Baak Bodol", and "Longor Khana" authored by Selina Hossain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The e-Commerce sector has seen dramatic growth in Bangladesh since the early 2000s, although at the time the country lacked prevalent internet access with a reliable online transaction system. The Bangladesh Government is currently working on digitalizing the nation but the adoption rate of e-commerce is relatively low. This paper intends to comprehend the factors that influence the purchase intention of Bangla4deshi consumers from the e-commerce platform Daraz.com.bd. The survey questionnaire was encased in an online link for respondents to complete and submit. The survey received 302 respondents' data. It was established that the respondents' socio-demographic profiles - genders, age groups, and education levels - exhibited a significant impact on online purchase intention. Trust and quality were not correlated to online purchase intention while privacy negatively affected the purchase intention. Price, delivery, returning policy, and social influence affect purchase intention positively. Interaction test results showed that the effects of privacy and price, privacy and quality, and delivery and social influence hurt the dependent variable. However, these factors discretely affected purchase intention positively. The interaction between privacy and social influence, and quality and social influence enhance one another to demonstrate a positive effect on purchase intention. The results might help the company understand and target its future consumers and create focused advertisements for them. Additionally, to enhance the purchase intention of Daraz.com.bd visitors, the company needs to focus on improving certain factors while keeping in mind the interaction effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to examine the determinants influencing students' choices of academic majors, with a specific focus on business programs at private universities in Bangladesh. It evaluates the relative impact of various factors including subject interest, perceived prestige of the major, faculty reputation, earning potential, and availability of the major. Additionally, this study seeks to analyze how these determinants align with broader socio-economic and institutional contexts. Employing a hybrid analytics method, the study utilizes both quantitative analysis and factor analysis techniques. A dataset of 276 students from three private universities in Bangladesh was surveyed using a structured questionnaire based on a Likert scale. This data was collected over a period that reflects the current trends and perceptions among students regarding their choice of academic majors. The main findings of the study demonstrate that (i) intrinsic interest in the subject significantly influences major choice, (ii) perceptions of economic outcomes associated with the profession, such as earning potential, play a crucial role, and finally, (iii) institutional factors like faculty reputation and the prestige of the major also significantly impact students' decisions. These findings underscore the complexity of factors that students consider when choosing their academic majors, highlighting the interplay between personal interests, economic considerations, and institutional attributes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rice agriculture provides millions of households with a steady source of income and employment. However, for small and marginal farmers, the exorbitant cost of production inputs presents a formidable obstacle in their pursuit of acquiring it. Credit constraints are a significant impediment to the adoption of agricultural technologies. Therefore, this paper identifies the determinant of access to rural credit and its impact on Boro rice production technology adoption in Bangladesh using cross-sectional data. The study employed probit regression, propensity score matching (PSM), inverse probability weighting (IPW), and inverse probability weighted regression adjustment (IPWRA) techniques. The findings indicate that age, family size, working members, and involvement in safety net programs negatively and significantly influence access to rural credit, while earning persons in the family, literacy, rice farming experience, remittance, and total income positively influence access to rural credit. The positive and significant ATT values suggested that access to rural credit has a positive and significant effect on technology adoption and the level of technology use. It was also found that access to rural credit has a heterogeneous effect. In particular, non-government organization (NGO) credit has a more significant impact on technology adoption than formal bank credit. Access to credit and the adoption of agricultural technologies can be greatly improved with the help of a location-specific rural credit policy and strong monitoring from the formal banking sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A literature survey was proposed, aiming at summarizing the state of the art and, consequently, the research potential, in the increasingly popular field of circular economy, specifically applied to the construction industry in South Asian countries (Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh). In particular, the role of a life cycle assessment (LCA) to support the circular building design concept in construction projects was investigated. This review organized 71 published papers that examined environmental building assessments, certifications for sustainable buildings, the awareness of sustainable buildings, and recent advancements in this field between 2005 and 2022. The review pointed out that half of the LCA studies used the cradle-to-grave LCA methodology for environmental impact assessment, while the other half used the cradle-to-cradle LCA methodology. Regardless of the recent research, the literature still lacks the cradle-to-cradle implementation of the LCA methodology in selected countries which is essential for implementing truly circular building strategies. Moreover, the literature showed a lack of interest and awareness among all stakeholders in the construction of environmentally friendly buildings. The main barrier to carry out LCA for building performance is the unavailability of a regional database, which was pointed out in the literature, as well as the criteria for certification that are not available or do not comply with the standards of the specific contexts of Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) technology presents both opportunities and challenges for the protection of human rights in Bangladesh. While AI has the potential to transform and enhance many areas of society, including healthcare, education, and business, it also raises significant ethical and legal questions that require careful consideration. This paper explores the current state of AI technology in Bangladesh and examines the potential impact on human rights, particularly in the areas of privacy, discrimination, and freedom of expression. The paper argues that while AI can be a valuable tool for promoting human rights, it can also exacerbate existing inequalities and create new forms of discrimination. To ensure that AI is used in a way that upholds human rights, the paper calls for the development of robust legal and ethical frameworks to regulate the use of AI technology. The paper proposes several recommendations for achieving this goal, including the establishment of clear ethical guidelines for the development and deployment of AI systems, the creation of a regulatory body to oversee AI technology in Bangladesh, and the use of impact assessments to identify potential risks and harms associated with AI systems. Overall, the paper emphasizes the need for a collaborative and interdisciplinary approach to addressing the legal and ethical challenges posed by AI technology in Bangladesh. By taking a proactive and holistic approach, Bangladesh can ensure that AI is developed and used in a way that respects and promotes human rights, rather than undermining them. The paper concludes by stressing the importance of ongoing research and dialogue on this critical topic to inform and guide policy and decision-making in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates household's private expenditures to cope with the harmful losses of climate change and disasters. Using household-level survey data from Bangladesh, this paper finds that disaster-affected rural Bangladeshi households allocate between $499 and $1076 in disaster-related expenditures. Such expenditures are always greater than their relevant precautionary savings, implying that those households may debt-finance their defensive measures. Households with greater precautionary savings spend more: a 100% increase in precautionary savings can increase disaster expenditures by 5%. Moreover, there are considerable regional heterogeneities in household's disaster expenditures. Increased public sector allocations in addition to carefully designed affordable market-based financing instruments can potentially ease the pressure on disaster-affected households in their fight against the harms of climate change and disaster. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Local humanitarian workers in low and middle-income countries must often contend with potentially morally injurious situations, often with limited resources. This creates barriers to providing sustainable mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) to displaced individuals. Clinical supervision is an often neglected part of ensuring high-quality, sustainable care. The Caring for Carers (C4C) project aims to test the effectiveness and acceptability of online group-based supportive supervision on the well-being of MHPSS practitioners, as well as service-user-reported service satisfaction and quality when working with displaced communities in Türkiye, Syria, and Bangladesh. This protocol paper describes the aim, design, and methodology of the C4C project. Method: A quasi-experimental, mixed-method, community-based participatory research study will be conducted to test the effectiveness of online group-based supportive clinical supervision provided to 50 Syrian and 50 Bangladeshi MHPSS practitioners working with Syrian and Rohingya displaced communities. Monthly data will be collected from the practitioners and their beneficiaries during the active control (six months) and supervision period (16 months over two terms). Outcomes are psychological distress (Kessler-6), burnout (the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory), compassion fatigue, compassion satisfaction, and secondary traumatic stress (Professional Quality of Life Scale), perceived injustice, clinical self-efficacy (Counseling Activity Self-Efficacy Scale), service satisfaction, and quality (Client Satisfaction Questionnaire and an 18-item measure developed in this project). A realist evaluation framework will be used to elucidate the contextual factors, mechanisms, and outcomes of the supervision intervention. Discussion: There is a scarcity of evidence on the role of clinical supervision in improving the well-being of MHPSS practitioners and the quality of service they provide to displaced people. By combining qualitative and quantitative data collection, the C4C project will address the long-standing question of the effectiveness and acceptability of clinical supervision in humanitarian settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adverse climate impacts present a significant challenge for the majority of the world's population. It is especially true for smallholder farmers in coastal Bangladesh, where some adaptation initiatives appeared to be short-sighted and reproduced further inequity, poverty, and food insecurity. Based on empirical insights, this paper shows how short-sighted climate responses can adversely affect gender equity, illustrated through three adaptation strategies. First, agricultural institutions have traditionally and historically linked with gender roles. Outmigration from the region is gendered as males leave first. This forces increased household and farm responsibilities onto female household members and increased vulnerability. This gendered vulnerability becomes compounded by the ways critical weather information flows at the local level. Taking this gendered lens, this paper illustrates how shrimp farming has caused long-term woes for society. These insights help in understanding the complexity of climate–society interactions and the importance of long-term planning on any climate adaptation initiatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seas, marine, and coastal regions are integral and essential parts of our ecosystem. Many scientific approaches have been taken to ensure the sustainable use of marine resources. Artificial intelligence (AI) plays a vital role in harvesting resources so that the system regenerates itself for the long term. This paper develops a two-input and two-output fuzzy logic-based model to predict the fisheries' remaining biomass after harvesting and maintaining a high revenue level in the Bangladesh Sundarbans region. Fishing & tourism are taken as input parameters, and revenue & biomass are taken as output parameters. A total of 20 rules (IF-THEN type) have been generated in the fuzzy rule editor of Fuzzy Inference System (FIS), considering all possible combinations between input–output parameters. The data which we obtained from the real ecosystem exactly corresponds to the results that we got from our proposed model. Our fuzzy logic model yields valid predictions of the remaining biomass level without compromising profit, only by controlling the harvesting and tourist entry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims: There is a dearth of information about binge eating disorder (BED) among Bangladeshi university students, who may be more susceptible to BED due to the rise in unhealthy lifestyles and food habits. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to assess the prevalence and associated factors of BED symptoms among Bangladeshi university students. Methods: Students (N = 525) from three public universities in Bangladesh participated in this cross‐sectional study between November 2022 and March 2023. Face‐to‐face interviews were conducted using a structured paper‐based questionnaire that included two validated survey tools; the binge eating disorder screener and the patient health questionnaire‐9. To identify the factors associated with BED symptoms, multiple logistic regression analysis was conducted, with sociodemographic and behavioral information (e.g., age, sex, smoking status, etc.) considered as covariates. Results: The prevalence of BED symptoms among participants (mean age 21.28 years, 50.3% male and 49.7% female) was 20.6%. Male students had a 2.28 times higher likelihood of having BED symptoms compared to female counterparts (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 2.28; 95% CI: 1.33−3.89). Older students (AOR = 3.56, 95% CI: 1.80−7.05), students who were overweight or obese (AOR = 3.32, 95% CI: 1.87−5.89), and students reporting higher depressive symptoms (AOR = 2.69, 95% CI: 1.66−4.35) were at greater risk for developing BED compared to their respective counterparts. Conclusions: This study provides new insights into the prevalence of BED symptoms and its contributing factors among Bangladeshi students. Approximately 1‐in‐5 university students reported having BED symptoms. University students who are older, overweight, or obese, and who report depressive symptoms may be at greatest risk. Future longitudinal studies are needed to determine the causal factors underlying BED. Findings from this study can assist policymakers and public health professionals in developing effective and targeted strategies to mitigate the risks associated with BED among Bangladeshi university students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Floods have a devastating impact on developing nations. The focus of current resilience models is predominantly developed countries, and less is known regarding how they might perform in other contexts. This paper presents a comparative case study in Bangladesh using two established hazard resilience models: the Disaster Resilience of Place (DROP) Model and the Spatially Explicit Resilience-Vulnerability (SERV) model. Using publicly available data, we applied the two models at the district level in the context of flooding, the most extensive hazard in Bangladesh. The results of our model implementations were evaluated by Bangladeshi emergency managers and researchers regarding their potential utility. Whereas emergency managers preferred the SERV model results, researchers thought the DROP model results were preferable. This suggests an opportunity to create a model that would serve the flood resilience needs of managers and researchers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of a sustainable blue economy is a priority for the government of Bangladesh. However, to expand the coastal and ocean based economic activities, a marine spatial plan (MSP) is necessary. This paper aims to present a background study to set-up a MSP for the maritime area of Bangladesh. Data on spatial distribution of current maritime activities have been collected from all available sources. These data have been complemented with stakeholder survey data through which information on the constraints for MSP implementation and requirements were collected. Our study found that ecological data and knowledge are currently limited to establish an organized spatial conservation; stakeholder need to be on board right from the beginning to co-produce the MSP; sectorial spatial initiatives such as, for instance, the seaweed mariculture and salt production plans, should be used as case studies, especially for the lessons learned for the development of the MSP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a comprehensive analysis of the use of underwater concrete (UWC) in the retrofitting restoration of bridge piers in Bangladesh. In Bangladesh, UWC is a comparatively new technology, and this investigation represents the first instance of its application in practice. This study's primary objective was to produce self-compacting, self-fresh concrete with minimal mass loss. To accomplish this objective, antiwashout admixture (AWA) was added to the concrete mix at varying weight percentages (0.1%, 0.2%, 0.3%, 0.4%, and –0.5%) to determine the optimal dosage of AWA that would result in the least amount of concrete washout. The slump and runoff resistance of the concrete mixture were evaluated, and it was observed that a certain percentage of AWA addition resulted in minimal cement mass loss. Furthermore, cost reduction was a major concern of this study, as it is essential to minimize project expenses. Thus, comparative cost analyses of various repair techniques were conducted to determine the most cost-effective approach for future underwater repairs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Following the mass influx of Rohingya refugees into Cox's Bazaar, Bangladesh in 2017, makeshift settlement camps in Ukhiya and Teknaf have been overburdened, leading to livelihood challenges for both Rohingya and host communities. The humanitarian crisis has had adverse effects on vulnerable populations, which include older people, persons with disabilities, adolescents, and single female household heads. Using a subset of a larger dataset on households with most vulnerable groups in both communities, we analysed the effect of the pandemic and lockdown on the livelihood of single female household (HH) heads. Methods: A cross-sectional household roster survey was designed to collect data from households with most vulnerable groups (MVGs) of host and Rohingya communities from December 2020 to March 2021; 11 host community villages and 10 Rohingya camps purposively selected as per the affiliated intervention of the project. The paper analysed quantitative and qualitative data from the sub-group of single female household heads without any income/low income. Participants were surveyed for their socio-demographic characteristics, COVID-19 experiences and knowledge, food security situation, social experiences and mental health using PHQ-2 test for depression. Results: We surveyed 432 single female HH heads. Support during the pandemic was reported to be low, with less than 50% of HHs reporting relief meeting their needs; only 36% and 15% of these HHs received rations in camps and host communities respectively. Loan facilities were mostly unavailable and there were reported insufficiencies in food consumption. Over 50% of respondents tested positive on the PHQ-2, a scale used to screen for depression. Further analyses indicates that having a chronic health issue (OR 2.2, 95% CI 1.33–3.66) was positively associated with the PHQ-2 score for Rohingya single females. For host single females, having an ill member in the HH (OR 1.46, 95% CI 1.02–2.08) and the inability to save before the pandemic (OR 1.57 95% CI 1.11–2.23) increased the odds of screening positive for depression. Conclusion: Our study findings revealed insufficiencies with economic opportunities and food security for single female-headed households, as well as a high rate of positive screening for depression amongst this population. These findings call for a more in-depth understanding of the needs of this group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Serum or whole blood collection, processing, transport and storage still present significant challenges in low resource settings where mass surveillance is required to sustain disease elimination. Therefore, in this study, we explored the diagnostic efficacy of dried blood spots (DBS) as a minimally invasive and potentially cost-effective alternative sampling technique to whole blood sampling procedures for subsequent detection of Leishmania donovani antibodies or DNA. Methodology and principal findings: Archived serum, DNA samples from whole blood of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) cases and healthy controls, and DBS from corresponding cases and controls, were used. Both molecular and serological assays were optimized to detect L. donovani antibodies or DNA in DBS elute and results were compared against those obtained with whole blood. Serological assays (both rK28 ELISA and rK39 ELISA) of DBS samples showed sensitivity and specificity of 100% and had excellent agreement with results from whole blood samples (kappa value ranged from 0.98–1). Bland-Altman analysis of OD values from rK28-ELISA with DBS elute and patients' serum showed an excellent agreement (ICC = 0.9) whereas a good agreement (ICC = 0.8) was observed in the case of rK39-ELISA. However, qPCR and RPA of DBS samples had a diminished sensitivity of 76% and 68%, respectively, and poor agreement was observed with the whole blood samples. Conclusion: Our results demonstrate that DBS offer excellent diagnostic efficiency for serological assays and represent a viable alternative to whole blood sampling procedures. Author summary: Since the inception of the National Kala-azar Elimination Program (NKEP) in 2005, visceral leishmaniasis (VL) cases have declined significantly in Bangladesh. Bangladesh has achieved the elimination targets set by the WHO and continuous strides have been enforced by the government and non-government organizations in the present maintenance phase. To sustain the outcomes of the NKEP, move towards a zero-transmission goal and subvert the endgame challenges, an effective surveillance strategy is a primary focus. As part of this strategy, we examined whether using dried blood spots (DBS), rather than whole blood samples as currently recommended, could serve as a minimally invasive sampling technique prior to subsequent diagnostic tests. We determined the accuracy of molecular and serological assays using DBS samples compared with whole blood samples. While using DBS, excellent diagnostic accuracy was observed for serological assays (rK28 ELISA and rK39 ELISA), whereas sensitivity and specificity using molecular assays for DNA detection (qPCR and RPA) declined in comparison to whole blood. Given the low cost and field feasibility of DBS, we believe this simple sample collection technique coupled with serology-based detection of L. donovani meets the requirements for mass surveillance towards detecting residual VL transmission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Internet of Things (IoT) is a transformative technology that is reshaping industries and daily life, leading us towards a connected future that is full of possibilities and innovations. In this paper, we present a robust framework for the application of Internet of Things (IoT) technology in the agricultural sector in Bangladesh. The framework encompasses the integration of IoT, data mining techniques, and cloud monitoring systems to enhance productivity, improve water management, and provide real-time crop forecasting. We conducted rigorous experimentation on the framework. We achieve an accuracy of 87.38% for the proposed model in predicting data harvest. Our findings highlight the effectiveness and transparency of the framework, underscoring the significant potential of the IoT in transforming agriculture and empowering farmers with data-driven decision-making capabilities. The proposed framework might be very impactful in real-life agriculture, especially for monsoon agriculture-based countries like Bangladesh. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bangladesh has been ranked as one of the world's top countries affected by climate change, particularly in terms of agricultural crop sector. The purpose of this study is to identify spatial and temporal changes and trends in long-term climate at local and national scales, as well as their implications for rice yield. In this study, Modified Mann-Kendall and Sen's slope tests were used to detect significant trends and the magnitude of changes in temperature and rainfall. The temperature and rainfall data observed and recorded at 35 meteorological stations in Bangladesh over 65-years in the time span between the years 1949 and 2013 have been used to detect these changes and trends of variation. The results show that mean annual Tmean, Tmin, and Tmax have increased significantly by 0.13°C, 0.13°C, and 0.13°C/decade, respectively. The most significant increasing trend in seasonal temperatures for the respective Tmean, Tmin, and Tmax was 0.18°C per decade (post-monsoon), 0.18°C/decade (winter), and 0.23°C/decade (post-monsoon), respectively. Furthermore, the mean annual and pre-monsoon rainfall showed a significant increasing trend at a rate of 4.20 mm and 1.35 mm/year, respectively. This paper also evaluates climate variability impacts on three major rice crops, Aus, Aman, and Boro during 1970–2013. The results suggest that crop yield variability can be explained by climate variability during Aus, Aman, and Boro seasons by 33, 25, and 16%, respectively. Maximum temperature significantly affected the Aus and Aman crop yield, whereas rainfall significantly affected all rice crops' yield. This study sheds light on sustainable agriculture in the context of climate change, which all relevant authorities should investigate in order to examine climate-resilient, high-yield crop cultivation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Languages are at the centre of nationalistic discourses across South Asia since they have played a historically and politically significant role in defining nationhood and both uniting and dividing countries throughout the British Empire. Despite multilingualism and multiculturalism, and vast differences in individual access to, and command of, mother tongue, national and official languages, paradoxically a collective language is always considered as an important imagined marker of 'national' identity. It is this latter point I explore by drawing on ethnographic fieldwork amongst Bangladeshi youths from indigenous ethnic communities who are designated as ethnic minority groups in Bangladesh. Positioning the paper at the nexus of multilingual ecology, I thereby investigate how youths from the indigenous ethnic communities perceive themselves with reference to their mother tongue, national language, and foreign language, and what impact their relationships, their preferences, and use have on the maintenance and sustainability of their mother tongue in the multilingual ecology. A qualitative content analysis of the data demonstrates that it is only by taking the varying potential scopes of language into account that we can fully appreciate these complex Asian multilingual ecologies, where the mother tongues, indigenous ethnic languages, national languages, and English have specific historical, political, and sociocultural significances. The discursive claims of Bangladeshi ethnic youth participants indicate that the presence of the 'mother-tongue' and 'national language' in these contexts is ideologically infused, layered, value-laden, relational, and paradoxical at the microlevel – as these languages are practiced and nurtured by the linguistically minoritized subjects themselves. They negotiate their relationship with these languages, strictly keeping in consideration the existence of other languages and their social, cultural, economic significance in the multilingual ecology. It is via the paradoxical role of these languages in contexts that the paper aims to identify the socio-psychological reasons behind language loss in Bangladesh. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper uses illustrations from rural India and Bangladesh to develop a critical analysis of practices and experiences of poverty often overlooked in development policies. It challenges the principle measurement, calculative rationality and static representation in anti-poverty interventions that present poverty as a 'problem' to be resolved. It draws on poststructuralist ideas to express poverty differently and shift from problem-solving to problematisation. Drawing on the concept of 'rhizome' it highlights the connectivity, heterogeneity and multiplicity of poverty. Examples from interviews and photo diaries illustrate manifold poverty as a combination of heterogeneous activities, objects and affects that complicate development ethics and challenge the logic of reason in existing policies. The paper explores improvisation, experimentation, hope and repetition as mechanisms for critically evaluating aquaculture-led development and attending to overlooked objects, uncertain outcomes and untold stories of disadvantage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rice has a high water requirement, but water use efficiency (WUE) in rice has always been low, and the status of rice WUE and the factors influencing it in various countries around the world is currently unclear. Therefore, this paper collected 56 articles from 2000 to 2022, through which WUE data from different countries and different provinces in China were collated, and the effects of various water‐saving irrigation technologies on WUE of rice and irrigation water use were analysed using the method of Meta‐analysis. The results of this paper show that rice WUE is low in most countries, with the lowest WUE of 0.28 kg/m3 in Thailand and the highest WUE of 1.25 kg/m3 in Bangladesh among the countries included in this study, and flood irrigation is used in most countries. Compared to flood irrigation, all water‐saving irrigation involved can increase rice WUE and reduce irrigation water input, alternate wet and dry irrigation (W1), and controlled irrigation (W2) were able to increase the WUE of rice by 49.86%, 84.74%, and reduce the irrigation water input by 36.55%, 39.55% respectively. Among the six types of water‐saving irrigation input, dry cultivation (W3) had the most significant effect on increasing WUE and reducing irrigation water, reaching 2.02 times and 67.53%, respectively. Based on the annual rainfall (R) and the application of water‐saving irrigation in Asia, sub‐regionally applicable water‐saving irrigation technologies are recommended. W3 is recommended when R <200 mm, W2 is recommended when 200 mm < R < 800 mm, and W1/W2/shallow alternate wet and dry irrigation (W5) is recommended when R >800 mm. According to the data collected in this paper, W1, W2, W3, and W5 can save 3.40 × 1011 m3, 3.78 × 1011 m3, 2.52 × 108 m3, 2.22 × 1011 m3 of irrigation water, respectively. Based on the calculations in this paper, different water‐saving irrigation techniques can save 3.50 × 1011 m3 of water in Asia according to the recommendations. To promote water‐saving irrigation technology, countries need to formulate policies to ensure the development of water‐saving irrigation technology, raise farmers' awareness of water conservation, and provide training and financial support. Promoting the use of different water‐saving irrigation technologies for different regions can significantly reduce irrigation water and increase the WUE of rice, which is important in addressing the challenges of global water scarcity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In settings where complex social decisions are made, information is often aggregated into indices to facilitate decision making. The value added of such composite indices depends, inter alia, on the extent to which decision makers trust and make use of them. This paper presents a randomized experiment on the use of an index designed to inform migrant resettlement decisions, using 410 graduate students in Bangladesh as respondents. Respondents were randomly assigned to control and treatment conditions. In the control group, respondents faced a discrete choice experiment where they were asked to allocate 1000 migrants between two locations described by five attributes (availability of cropland, distance to hospital, distance to school, poverty incidence, frequency of floods, droughts and cyclones). In the treatment group, respondents also had access to the migrant resettlement index for the two locations. Results show that the resettlement index is used by the respondents, and mechanism analyses suggest this is due to perceptions of improved benefits to costs from using the index to make decisions. Results from the control group also suggest that past adverse environmental events are particularly important for resettlement decisions, but less so for respondents who grew up in areas where such events were frequent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]