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Dispersal triggers gene flow, which in turn strongly affects the ensuing genetic population structure of a species. Using nuclear microsatellite loci and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), we estimated the genetic population structure of the wasp Polistes olivaceus throughout Bangladesh. The level of population differentiation using nuclear markers ( F) appeared to be much lower than that estimated using mtDNA haplotype sequences (Ф), even after correcting for effective population size differences between the two markers. These results suggest a philopatric tendency, in which gynes disperse less than males. We observed no isolation by distance among the study populations at either the nuclear or mtDNA level, suggesting nonequilibrium between gene flow and drift as a result of very frequent interpopulation movement. For the nuclear markers, an individual assignment test showed no genetically and geographically distinct groups. Instead, phylogenetic analyses as well as a minimum spanning network using mtDNA haplotypes consistently revealed two distinct lineages. The distribution of haplotypes indicated western populations with a single lineage and offered clear evidence for restricted gene flow across the Jamuna-Padma-Upper Meghna river system. Mismatch distributions exhibited a unimodal distribution, which along with a starlike haplotype network, suggested a population expansion in lineage I but not in lineage II. Overall, these results suggest that gene flow among populations of P. olivaceus was affected by both female philopatry and a major river system across Bangladesh. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to investigate how politically based trade union power can determine the fate of a regulatory body's organizational reform and undermine public accountability in a purportedly democratic developing country (DC). A large regulatory organization in Bangladesh was examined as a case study to uncover how political actors and power were embedded in a World Bank (WB)‐led organizational reform designed to contribute to public accountability and democracy. Interviews and media (newspaper) were utilized to identify the contestation of powers at macro‐ and micro‐levels. The explanation of reform implementation was informed by New Institutional Theory and its derived concept of institutional logics. Finding that political recruitment of the organization's senior executives made it susceptible to the pressures of political agents, the study reveals how politically supported union actions interrupted a WB‐led organizational reform that was seeking to secure democracy and public accountability. It finds that the pre‐existing institutional arrangements resurfaced over time as the political agents secured more power to restore past practices that adversely impacted public accountability. The lack (absence) of accountability in a so‐called democratic regime facilitated political interference with the regulatory governance and reforms that undermined organizational accountability to external stakeholders. The case‐study organization's institutional environment, agents, and interests were unique situational conditioners that nonetheless may be relevant to other similar public accountability organizations in DCs. The findings of the paper have important implications for policymakers who design, implement, and evaluate public accountability reforms in DCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the decades of the 1980s and 90s many poverty alleviation programmes have been implemented in developing countries. Evaluations of such programmes have traditionally looked at their success in increasing the income levels of participants but less at the wider goals of human well-being. This paper looks at the poverty alleviation programme of BRAC, a large non-governmental organisation in Bangladesh, and, based on carefully designed studies, presents its impact on selected components of ‘human well-being’. This study found better child survival and nutritional status in households served by the programme. Simular impacts were also found in other areas such as expenditure patterns, family planning practices and children's education. The studies also looked at the impact on the rural power structure and found a substantial change in the networking relationship of health providers. The likely influence of ‘selectivity bias’ on the above results is also discussed. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Disasters is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The industrial development of a country plays a vital role in its overall progress and is closely tied to its capacity of electricity generation. However, the scarcity of natural resources and increasing costs of fuel in global markets pose significant challenges for developing countries like Bangladesh in managing the rising expenses of electricity generation. Consequently, the government of Bangladesh is exploring alternative energy resources such as solar, wind, hydroelectricity, biomass, and biogas to supplement fossil fuels and optimize electricity generation cost. This paper aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the current status of natural resources, including gas, coal, and oil, which are conventionally used for electricity generation in Bangladesh. It highlights concerns about dwindling resource availability and their impact on the country's energy landscape. Through numerical analysis, it demonstrates the detrimental effects of relying heavily on gas‐based power plants, leading to electricity supply instability. To address the ongoing energy crisis, the paper proposes the adoption of renewable energy sources as a viable solution. Additionally, it also acknowledges the challenges associated with implementing large‐scale renewable projects in distinct areas of the country, such as limited infrastructure, technical constraints, and the need for significant investment. Overcoming these barriers is crucial for achieving widespread utilization of renewable resources. This paper concludes by offering recommendations to overcome these challenges and maximize the contributions of renewable energy in meeting future energy demands. The suggestions include developing robust infrastructure, implementing policy reforms to attract investment, emphasizing research and development, and promoting community engagement in renewable energy initiatives. It also highlights the potential of renewable energy resources in shaping a more secure and sustainable energy future for Bangladesh, emphasizing the importance of electricity generation for socio‐economic development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Weather and climate‐related human mobility (climate mobilities) including displacement are often viewed as security concerns. The recent coronavirus (COVID‐19) pandemic adds yet another layer of complexity which calls for unpacking these connections. This paper explores how existing patterns of migration and displacement that are driven by climate change impacts are compounded by the ongoing COVID‐19 pandemic. First, the paper outlines the links between extreme weather events and human mobility to then explore how the impacts from COVID‐19 interact, cascade and compound pre‐existing vulnerabilities of people on the move. Examining the ways in which climate change is potentially driving or shifting patterns of climate mobility allows a shared understanding of this complex issue to be gained. This paper contextualises the compounding impacts with a geographical focus on Bangladesh, a well‐known climate hotspot. The paper contributes to the debates on impacts and human responses to climate change and concludes with a set of policy recommendations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Refugees often face structural inequities, a disproportionate share of environmental challenges, and receive inadequate risk information. In most cases, the host country, United Nations, and other humanitarian organizations provide critical weather and climate information and disaster risk management support. This is equally true for the Rohingya refugee in Bangladesh, who fled their home country Myanmar as a response to political violence. To provide critical humanitarian services to the Rohingya population, the in‐country United Nations agencies formed the Inter‐Sector Coordination Group (ISCG). This paper investigates the effectiveness of the ISCG's strategies for communicating monsoon risks in the Rohingya context. Particularly, it measures ISCG communication effectiveness by both the increased formalization of ISCG communication and the number of Rohingya refugees affected during the monsoon seasons in the years 2021–2022. The paper highlights the importance of the ISCG's existence in this humanitarian context as an effective coordinating institution. The ISCG provides impoartant environmental risk information to partner organizations that benefit the Rohingya's overall physical well‐being. Even though the geographical focus of this paper is on the Rohingya populations in Cox's Bazar, the discussions and findings have important policy implications in other parts of the world facing similar social, environmental, political, and humanitarian challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cultural differences represent significant trade barriers between transitional economies and their trading partners, which has been overlooked in recent studies. This paper investigates the effect of cultural distance (CD) on bilateral trade from Bangladesh. We conceptualize a research model by employing the extended gravity model as a theoretical base, where we amplify the theory by proposing that linguistic distance (LD) as a part of cultural distance has a profound effect on bilateral trade based on bilateral trade data from 1995 to 2019 and Hofstede's culture indices between Bangladesh and 157 trading partner countries. Using a pseudo‐poisson maximum likelihood model, we find that cultural distance has a significant and negative impact on Bangladesh's trade, with a significance level of 1%. Our empirical results indicate that one unit increase in cultural distance decreases trade by 40.84% and cultural distance has a greater impact on Bangladesh's exports than on its imports. Findings also reveal that the effect is substantial with high‐income nations than with low‐income nations, and for manufacturing products than primary products trade. Further, this study suggests that in addition to cultural distance (CD), linguistic distance (LD) from trading partners has a tantamount effect on bilateral trade, which is significant at 1%. Theoretically, this study suggests that linguistic distance (LD) should be added on gravity model for analyzing effects of cultural distance on bilateral and multilateral trade. Practically, this study contributes by providing valuable insights to policymakers to pay attention to cultural differences, especially during these economic transition periods to increase bilateral trade. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Riparian communities in developing countries such as Bangladesh, whose livelihoods depend especially on fisheries and other subsistence activities, are under considerable pressure due to climate change. Therefore, there is a need to better understand how the dynamics of riparian communities are influenced by climate change and how its impacts can be assessed. Using Bangladesh as an example, this paper describes the various climate stressors affecting riparian communities and their socio‐economic impacts, and it outlines some measures needed to increase their resilience to a changing climate. The results show that riparian communities are not only quite vulnerable to the impacts of climate change but also have a rather low level of resilience. This challenge can, at least in part, be attributed to their fragile living conditions, which intensify the socio‐economic impacts of extreme events. One lesson from the paper is that handling climate‐induced risks in riparian communities requires implementing strategic measures to improve local climate and livelihood resilience, such as effective public health infrastructure and a resilient built environment. Win‐win scenarios comprise strategies that offer multiple benefits including better water storage, flood control, and improved riparian habitats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Informed consent to medical intervention is fundamental in both ethics and law. But in practice it is often not taken seriously in developing countries. This paper provides an appraisal of informed consent practices in Bangladesh. Following a review of the ethical and legal principles of informed consent, it assesses the degree to which doctors adhere to it in Bangladesh. Based on findings of non‐compliance, it then investigates the reasons for such non‐compliance through an appraisal of informed consent practices in Bangladesh and provides recommendations aimed at improving such practices. The significance of this paper lies in unveiling the interdependence between the ethical and legal traits of informed consent and their ramifications on strengthening the patient‐oriented approach of duty to care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing forcibly displaced populations worldwide are adversely affecting the poorest host communities' livelihoods. Livelihood programmes can reduce this tension by addressing host communities' skills and capital constraints. In this paper, we examine the effect of a customised version of BRAC's Ultra‐Poor Graduation (UPG) programme on the livelihoods of the host communities of Rohingya refugees. We find that the programme increases labour supply in self‐employment of working‐age men and women, household income, food expenditure and productive asset. Further, we find some weak evidence that the programme decreases the tension between hosts and Rohingya refugees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents abstracts on topics related to ophthalmology which include an evaluation of a dual coaxial irrigation technology for complicated cataract surgery, an analysis of eye diseases among athletes at the Special Olympics 2007 World Summer Games, and a development of a community based ophthalmology curriculum for undergraduate medical course in Bangladesh.

This paper explores the relationships between textile wastewater management and its impact on ecosystems and community livelihoods. Using the case of the wastewater management practices of the Bangladesh textile industry and thematic analysis of key informant interviews with industry representatives in the production value chain, the study illustrates perceptions of sustainability transformation regarding wastewater management, specifically by integrating sustainable water and energy practices. The findings reveal the adverse effects of textile wastewater on freshwater resources, such as the obstruction of socio‐economic development and environmental sustainability, and highlight the distinctions between compliant and non‐compliant textile industries regarding sustainability transformation. These results also indicate challenges that hinder the sustainability of textile effluent treatment, including the absence of techno‐ecology, pro‐environmental behaviour, stringent regulations, reliable surveillance, and collaborative actions. Recommendations include improving cooperation among community‐stakeholders and decision‐makers to promote sustainability transformation in textile wastewater management, prioritising water energy resources to advance environmental development, and fulfilling socio‐economic demands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper looks at the migration of women from Bangladesh to the Middle East as short‐term migrants, mainly for work in the domestic care sector as domestic workers, housekeepers, nannies, cooks, etc. This group accounts for about 15 per cent of the total short‐term migration cohort. They face particular challenges around not only the precarity of their employment but also in navigating a series of patriarchal norms in both Bangladesh and the destination countries in the Middle East. The paper will build on the work of Deniz Kandiyoti and her seminal work on patriarchal bargains. This paper will explore the challenges women face in migrating to the Middle East: in their decision to migrate, their experiences abroad, and on return and reintegration into Bangladesh society and their home life, and how these are determined by a series of patriarchal bargains both in Bangladesh and the destination country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the ways exploitative labour migration arrangements leading to 'failed migration' can extend discussions of transnationalism. Specifically, failed migration produces different sorts of engagements in transnational social fields to those commonly discussed in the literature and in relation to migrants who are considered successful. These departures allow for reflection on key assumptions about the practices of connection and engagement across borders between migrants and non‐migrants that typify the operation of transnational social fields, including the ways constructions of gender shape these practices. The paper draws on a case study of Bangladeshi low‐waged, transient migrant workers in Singapore. I examine three registers of diluted connection, namely: protecting the family from anxiety; distress for migrants through imposition of censure and suspicion; and the shame associated with exploitation. Moral–cultural frames that inscribe particular economic and social expectations on migrants and, in this case, values associated with 'being a man' transferred from home provide a lens through which to understand the reconfiguration of transnational social fields in the context of failed migration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To test the efficacy of an integrated microfinance/livelihood and community‐based rehabilitation (IMCBR) programme in improving health‐related quality of life (HRQoL) and motor function of children with cerebral palsy (CP) and gain in social capital to their ultra‐poor families in rural Bangladesh. Method: This was an open‐label cluster randomized control trial. Children with CP aged 5 years or under were randomly allocated to three arms; Arm A: IMCBR; Arm B: community‐based rehabilitation (CBR); and Arm C: care‐as‐usual. The CBR was modified with phone follow‐up followed by home‐based CBR at 2.5 months post‐enrolment because of the COVID‐19 pandemic. Intention‐to‐treat analysis was performed. Results: Twenty‐four clusters constituting 251 children–primary caregivers' dyads were assigned to three arms (Arm A = 80; Arm B = 82; Arm C = 89). Between baseline and endline, the percentage mean change in the physical functioning domain of HRQoL was highest in Arm A (30.0%) with a significant mean difference between Arm A and Arm B (p = 0.015). Improvement in the mean social capital score was significantly higher in Arm A compared to Arm C (p < 0.001). Interpretation: The findings suggest that IMCBR could improve the HRQoL of children with CP and the social capital of their ultra‐poor families. Long‐term follow‐up of the trial participants and future exploration of such interventions are essential. The integrated livelihood and CBR programme holds potential to improve health and well‐being of children with CP and their ultra‐poor families. What this paper adds: Half of the families who received livelihoods were impacted by a cold‐wave, suggesting the need for a more disaster‐resilient livelihood asset.The integration of livelihood with community‐based rehabilitation programme helps to improve health‐related quality of life of children with cerebral palsy and the social capital of their ultra‐poor families. What this paper adds: Half of the families who received livelihoods were impacted by a cold‐wave, suggesting the need for a more disaster‐resilient livelihood asset.The integration of livelihood with community‐based rehabilitation programme helps to improve health‐related quality of life of children with cerebral palsy and the social capital of their ultra‐poor families. This original article is commented on by Fianto on pages 727–728 of this issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To validate a novel equation to estimate weight from mid‐upper arm circumference (MUAC) among children with cerebral palsy (CP) in rural Bangladesh. Method: Children with CP aged 2 to 18 years registered in the Bangladesh CP Register were randomly selected. Data on sociodemographics, Gross Motor Function Classification System level, and anthropometric measurements were extracted. Bland–Altman plots with a 95% agreement limit and Lin's concordance correlation coefficient with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were reported to measure agreement between observed and estimated weight. Percentage error was used to determinate the method's accuracy. Results: There were 497 participants with a mean age at assessment of 9 years (SD 4 years 11 months) (47.7% female). Lin's concordance correlation coefficient between the observed and estimated weights was 0.90 (95% CI 0.89–0.92). Bland–Altman plots showed a reasonable accuracy of the equation in the study cohort. The mean percentage error of the equation was 5.04%. The average difference between observed and estimated weights was −1.02 kg (SD 5.1). The differences between observed and estimated weights were significantly greater among children with weight‐for‐age, height‐for‐age, or BMI‐for‐age z‐scores less than or equal to −4. Interpretation: It is possible to predict the weight of children with CP from MUAC with sufficient accuracy. The equation can be used for populations in low‐resources and low‐ and middle‐income countries. What this paper adds: The equations predict the weight of children with cerebral palsy from their mid‐upper arm circumference reasonably accurately.The difference between observed and estimated weights ranged between 0 kg and ± 5 kg in 81.5% of children.Sex and Gross Motor Function Classification System level did not affect the accuracy of the equations.The equations were less accurate for estimating the weight of severely undernourished children. What this paper adds: The equations predict the weight of children with cerebral palsy from their mid‐upper arm circumference reasonably accurately.The difference between observed and estimated weights ranged between 0 kg and ± 5 kg in 81.5% of children.Sex and Gross Motor Function Classification System level did not affect the accuracy of the equations.The equations were less accurate for estimating the weight of severely undernourished children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identity formation is a complex process and has been discussed by post‐structuralist discourse theorist Ernesto Laclau. This paper focuses on Laclau's proposed ideas on the means of identity production and populism and studies the popular independence movement for Bangladesh under that rubric. It locates charismatic leadership as a necessary condition for populism and identifies Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman as the charismat suturing the various chains of equivalence that rose to become the populist movement that resulted in the nation's struggle for independence in 1971. This paper also looks at the transformational leadership of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and acknowledges it as a necessary condition for the patterns of identity creation in East Bengal in the late 1960s. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ideal notions of efficient aid are challenged continuously by realities on the ground in the wake of major disasters, such as dire needs, limited resources, and opportunism. This paper demonstrates how 'relief lists' can be productive entry points for a systematic inquiry into the pervasive politics of disaster assistance. Through an analysis of qualitative data collected during the five years after Cyclone Sidr struck Bangladesh on 15 November 2007, it examines how relief lists featured in both physical and phantom forms and then developed beyond their transparency‐making aims, becoming elevated sites of struggle for post‐disaster resources. Three list processes, selected to indicate the temporal, material, and spatial dynamics of relief encounters, are assessed in depth. Although recipients of cyclone relief appreciated its value, the paper argues that list politics also stimulated structures of vulnerability, including inequality. Gradually, relief, as governed after Sidr, also served to restore the differential vulnerability of the country's coastal poor. [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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

As social and interdependent beings, we have responsibilities to each other. One of them is to recognize each other appropriately. When we fail to meet this responsibility, we often stigmatize. In this paper, I argue that the COVID‐19‐related stigmatization is a variation of the lack of recognition understood as an orientation to our evaluative features. Various stereotypical behaviors regarding COVID‐19 become stigmatized practices because of labeling, stereotyping, separation, status loss and discrimination, and power. When people stigmatize COVID‐19 victims, they orient themselves to their evaluative quality of being vulnerable to the SARS‐CoV‐2 virus by internalizing the victims as dangerous, understanding them as separable, and being motivated to act with them differently. All this causes the COVID‐19 victims to lose status and suffer discrimination for which they do not experience participatory parity in different facets of their lives, rendering the COVID‐19‐related stigmatization an appalling example of misrecognition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent evidence highlights that integrated interventions have sustainable impacts on household welfare. This paper evaluates the 'Char Development and Settlement Program,' which targets marginalized, coastal populations of Bangladesh and is implemented by the NGO BRAC, which pioneers integrated programs in over 20 countries. The analysis exploits household panel data (2012, 2016) for over 2500 households living in 11 chars to measure the impact of a programme, comprising microfinance, health services and legal aid. Employing a difference‐in‐difference approach, we find considerable, programme‐induced increases in consumption, food security and legal awareness suggesting that an integrated 'big push' is efficient for poverty alleviation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inequalities in breastfeeding programmes and practices have slowed global progress in providing the life‐saving protection of breastfeeding for millions of infants despite well‐known life‐long impacts. As breastfeeding interventions are scaled up, inequalities in coverage and breastfeeding practices should be tracked, particularly in disadvantaged groups, who are likely to suffer the most serious health and developmental impacts of poor childhood nutrition. The literature provides evidence of inequalities in breastfeeding practices, but research is limited on socioeconomic disparities in the coverage of breastfeeding interventions. This paper (1) compares inequalities in breastfeeding practices in intervention and nonintervention areas and (2) documents inequalities in programme coverage by type of intervention. We disaggregated endline evaluation surveys in Bangladesh, Burkina Faso and Vietnam, where rigorous evaluations had documented significant overall improvements, and analysed whether inequalities in breastfeeding practices and programme coverage differed by treatment areas. We used Erreygers index to quantify inequalities and found that breastfeeding practices were largely pro‐poor; intervention coverage was not consistently pro‐poor. While counselling coverage often favoured women from the poorest quintile, public education/media coverage consistently favoured better‐off women. Inequalities favoured more educated mothers in the coverage of combined interventions. None of the programmes had explicit equality objectives. The results indicate the need for introducing specific actions to reduce inequalities in breastfeeding policies and programmes. This is a priority unfinished agenda for nutrition programming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Overlapping borrowing – i.e., the practice of taking new loans before old loans have been fully repaid – has become an important phenomenon in the microcredit sector in many developing countries, including Bangladesh. This paper examines the rationale for overlapping and investigates its short‐term and long‐term consequences by using a panel data set that is representative of Bangladesh as a whole. The study finds that it is useful to distinguish between two broad groups of overlapping borrowers who differ in terms of both the rationale of overlapping and its consequences. The first group – consisting of more than half of all overlapping borrowers – uses it as a promotional strategy, to improve their economic conditions without incurring a sharp discrete jump in debt burden. The other group uses it as a coping strategy, to deal with contingencies that compel them to take loans of a non‐productive nature, again by avoiding a sharp discrete jump in the debt burden. Econometric analysis, allowing for the possibility of endogeneity bias, shows that the first group is able to achieve stronger financial viability in the long run in comparison with non‐overlapping microcredit borrowers. The second group, in contrast, does not enjoy any significant improvement in their living conditions, but they are able to stave off any decline that otherwise might have befallen them in the face of shocks. Thus, both groups succeed in their respective goals, which are promotion for the first group and protection for the second. Microcredit has always had this duality of promotion and protection; overlapping borrowing serves to strengthen these functions of microcredit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This feminist research explores how superstition is used by in‐law's family to subordinate women business‐owners in a highly patriarchal developing context. Whereas the exploration of gender subordination regarding women's entrepreneurship is almost exclusively confined to developed nations, little is known regarding the way women are subjugated in managing their small businesses in a patriarchal developing nation. This research generates data by conducting a case study on a woman's business in Bangladesh. This study yields unique insights by unfolding a specific form of superstition that attempts to restrain a woman from continuing her small business. The paper reveals that the male relative caused a severe adverse impact on the personal life and business of the woman by employing superstition. With particular reference to superstition, this feminist study substantially extends the theoretical understanding of gender subordination within the context of small businesses of women in a highly patriarchal developing nation. The research strongly suggests policymakers to consider familial issues of women business‐owners in designing programmes to empower them effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Owing to increased inclusion of young people with disabilities into the private sector in Bangladesh and Kenya, there is an urgent need to find alternative ways to support young graduates with a disability in the workplace with assistive technology solutions. The aim of the paper is to identify barriers for private workplace sectors to use assistive technology to support young graduates seeking, maintaining and retaining employment. This qualitative study adopted the research onion design of Saunders et al. Data were collected using interviews and focus group discussions and analysed using thematic analysis. The findings reveal that barriers are linked to seven key person‐centred capability themes: the dream, external factors, internal factors, assistive technology vision, strategic design priorities and gaps and assistive actions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID‐19 pandemic prompted social distancing, workplace closures, and restrictions on mobility and trade that had cascading effects on economic activity, food prices, and employment in low‐ and middle‐income countries. Using longitudinal data from Bangladesh, Kenya, and Nigeria covering a period from October 2020 to April 2021, the paper assesses whether knowledge of a person infected with COVID‐19 is associated with food insecurity, job loss and business closures, and coping strategies to smooth consumption. The likelihood of households to experience food insecurity at the extensive and intensive margins increased among those who knew an infected person in Bangladesh and Kenya. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interest in examining climate change adaptation has arisen in many disciplines in the past two decades; however to date, sociologists have given only sparse attention to the issue. This is both a missed opportunity for sociologists and a detriment to the study of adaptation. In this paper, we set out the following research agenda: bringing core concerns of sociology into the critically important conversation of how society will respond to climate change. We identify five broad themes in which sociologists can begin their work on adaptation: (1) structures and resource access, (2) social cohesion and future planning, (3) constraints of social stratifications, (4) power and agency in decision‐making, and (5) justice in process and outcomes. After summarizing existing sociological work on adaptation and detailing our research agenda, we draw examples from our own work in Bangladesh to illustrate how this agenda might be taken up. In doing so, we point to several places where sociological insights come into play in questions related to development, organizations, expertise, migration, gender, and labor. We believe a robust sociological analysis can produce a clarified, reparative, and just conceptualization of adaptation that will contribute to the growing global discourse on the topic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines corporate governance's influence on corporate Sustainability in South Asian firms. Recent developments in social injustice, environmental issues and economic turmoil in South Asian countries have motivated the authors. The study used the GMM unbalanced panel data estimation on top South Asian listed firms. The time‐period of the sample taken is of ten years (2012–2022). This study reveals that among South Asian nations, companies listed in the Indian and Bangladesh stock markets have a high percentage of sustainability disclosure reporting. The study's findings show that Board size, independence, and qualification positively impact environmental sustainability reporting performance. In contrast, CEO Duality significantly negatively influences social, environmental, and economic sustainability. The study has implications for the companies and policymakers of South Asian countries and encouraged the firms to restructure the board to enhance its effectiveness to monitor better and support all aspects of corporate sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates international monetary spillovers to stock prices in Bangladesh, a frontier market that has been excluded from prior studies in the literature. Using daily stock price data for over 300 publicly traded firms in a high‐frequency event study framework, we find that contractionary monetary shocks originating from the US, euro area, and China lower stock prices, with Chinese monetary shocks having the largest impact. Contractionary shocks originating from India, on the other hand, lead to a statistically significant increase in stock returns. The positive response is driven by a small number of policy decisions. When these outlier decisions are removed from the sample, contractionary Indian monetary shocks lead to a decline in stock prices in line with spillovers from the other countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studies the welfare effects of encouraging rural–urban migration in the developing world. To do so, we build and analyze a dynamic general‐equilibrium model of migration that features a rich set of migration motives. We estimate the model to replicate the results of a field experiment that subsidized seasonal migration in rural Bangladesh, leading to significant increases in migration and consumption. We show that the welfare gains from migration subsidies come from providing better insurance for vulnerable rural households rather than from correcting spatial misallocation by relaxing credit constraints for those with high productivity in urban areas that are stuck in rural areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Workplace abuse is a much‐discussed global phenomenon in the world of work. Bangladesh, being a developing country that relies heavily on its labor resource, should have definite methods to protect the workers' rights and safety. Unfortunately, weak frameworks are in place to prevent it, and the lack of awareness among the workers is helping the problem to establish its roots more firmly. Despite the gravity of workplace abuse and its consequences, comprehensive studies for addressing or understanding the problem at a national level is difficult to find in the context of Bangladesh. Using the latest nationally representative survey namely the Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) 2016–17, this study attempts to bridge the existing gaps through an empirical investigation of the factors associated with workplace abuse in Bangladesh. A total of 16,646 participants with males of 75.9% and females of 24.1% are used for the analysis. A probit model analysis has been applied in this paper to explore how the workers' demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, as well as workplace features, may be associated with experiencing abuse in the workplace. The study finds that younger, less educated, females, elementary job‐holders, non‐governmental organization workers or those who work in the manufacturing, or services sector are more likely to be abused in the workplace. The study also concludes that the number of workers employed, and the hazardous workplace environment may be related to the probability of being abused. Furthermore, this study shows that full‐time workers, workers who are employed temporarily or have an oral contract may face abuse in the workplace more. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Floods are a frequently occurring calamity in deltaic Bangladesh. This paper aims to assess the temporal expansion of waterbodies during flooding using geospatial techniques. Several water indices were applied to classify the satellite images at various temporal scales. Among them, the Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI) showed the highest correlation (r = 0.831; where p = 0.01) with rainfall data. Specifically, the NDWI results showed that perennial waterbodies measured 37 km2 and 60 km2 in Sunamganj District in 2017 and 2019, respectively. The area of waterbodies notably increased 52‐fold from March to April (37 km2 to 1958 km2) during the pre‐monsoon flash flood of 2017. During the July 2019 monsoon flood, waterbodies started to extend after May and flooded 2784 km2 in area. NDVI analysis showed that in 2019, floodwater submerged 361.7 km2 of vegetation cover. At the same time, the Surma River's flooding resulted in a 73.9 per cent inundation of the total area of the Sunamganj District. We hope that this study will provide better understanding of the varying nature of floods that occur in the low lying bowl shaped Haor region which will in turn assist the government with flood mitigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Campus crisis management remains an understudied topic in the context of COVID‐affected higher education. In this paper, we contrasted the ability to tame the wicked problems brought by the pandemic of COVID‐19 in private and public universities in Bangladesh, Cambodia, Colombia, India, Kazakhstan, Uganda, and Ukraine. The cross‐country analysis and diversity of institutional types allowed us to consider a wide range of challenges faced by academic leaders and their institutions during the global pandemic. By drawing on institutional policy reviews and interviews with university administrators, we have examined tensions between the human and institutional agencies on these crisis‐stricken campuses given differing institutional coupling, sizes, resources, and missions. The focus on agential co‐dependencies and institutional coupling lays the ground for conceptualizing campus crisis management as a culturally specific construct in the context of higher education affected by the global pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the mediating role of online learning motivation (OLM) in the COVID‐19 pandemic situation in Bangladesh by observing and comparing direct lectures (DL), instructor–learner interaction (ILI), learner–learner interaction (LLI), and internet self‐efficacy (ISE) as predictors of OLM and online learning satisfaction (OLS). Data were collected from 442 undergraduate and graduate students from more than 35 universities in Bangladesh. To test the hypotheses, the PLS‐SEM approach was applied using SmartPLS 3.0. The study shows a significant mediating role of OLM between the independent variables and learning satisfaction. In addition, DL, ILI, and ISE are shown to be significant predictors of student satisfaction. The findings have a number of valuable implications for education policy makers, universities, instructors, and students. Moreover, the study suggests some new research perspectives to overcome the limitations of this research and to gain precise knowledge on students' learning motivation and satisfaction regarding other online classes for different categories of students (e.g., high school and college, professional, and PhD). Lay Description: What is already known about this topic: Previous studies have been designed to show direct lectures, interactions, and internet self‐efficacy as predictors of student satisfaction in pre‐ COVID‐19 situations.Most of the previous scholarly articles found a mixed result; whether a positive or negative relationship between predictors and the dependent variable. What this paper adds: This study is the first study to explore the mediating effect of online learning motivation on student's satisfaction during the COVID‐19 pandemic from the perspective of a developing country.It concluded, among othe things, that more attention should be paid to students' and instructors' trainings for online learning. Implications for practice and/or policy: Developing countries are implementing online education for the first time, so this study contributes to policymakers, faculties, and universities to design appropriate instruction methods, interactions, course, and curriculum design to cope up with the new normal.This study will contribute concern policymakers to initiate and design necessary training and development programmes to enhance online learning skills and better learning experiences/satisfaction in this pandemic situation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To describe the epidemiology of cerebral palsy (CP) in children from low‐ and middle‐income countries (LMICs) using data from the Global Low‐ and Middle‐Income Country CP register (GLM‐CPR). Method: The GLM‐CPR is a multi‐country initiative that combines and compares data from children with CP (<18y) in LMICs. Children with CP are registered after detailed neurodevelopmental assessment by a multidisciplinary medical team using a harmonized protocol. Data are collected on agreed core variables. Descriptive analyses are completed to report findings from participating countries. Results: Between January 2015 and May 2019, 2664 children were recruited from Bangladesh, Nepal, Indonesia, and Ghana (mean age [SD] at assessment: 7y 8mo [4y 8mo], 95% confidence interval 7y 6mo−7y 11mo; male [n=1615] 60.6%, female [n=1049] 39.4%). Overall, 86.6% children acquired CP prenatally and perinatally (e.g. preterm birth, birth asphyxia, neonatal encephalopathy). Median age at CP diagnosis was 3 years. Moreover, 79.2% children had spastic CP and 73.3% were classified in Gross Motor Function Classification System levels III to V. Notably, 47.3% of children never received rehabilitation services (median age at receiving rehabilitation services was 3y; 12.7% received assistive devices) and 75.6% of school‐age children had no access to education. Interpretation: Population‐based data show that the proportion of severe cases of CP is very high in LMICs. Children with CP in LMICs lack access to rehabilitation and educational services and a large proportion of children have potentially preventable risk factors, for example, birth asphyxia and neonatal infections. Delayed diagnosis, severe motor impairments, and lack of rehabilitation in most children call for urgent action to identify preventive opportunities and promote early diagnosis and intervention for children with CP in LMICs. What this paper addsThe proportion of severe cases of cerebral palsy (CP) is very high in rural low‐ and middle‐income countries (LMICs).Children with CP in LMICs lack access to rehabilitation and educational services.A large proportion of children with CP in LMICs have potentially preventable risk factors. What this paper adds: The proportion of severe cases of cerebral palsy (CP) is very high in rural low‐ and middle‐income countries (LMICs).Children with CP in LMICs lack access to rehabilitation and educational services.A large proportion of children with CP in LMICs have potentially preventable risk factors. This original article is commented by Paneth on page 1245 of this issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main focus of this paper is to present the current prospects, potentials, research activities, future concerns, and applications of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems in Bangladesh. Despite the existence of several articles in the literature on solar energy prospects in Bangladesh, the diffusion of several solar PV applications throughout the country, their rapid progress analysis, and existing feasibility study outcome analysis are still unrevealed. Therefore, an endeavour has been made for the first time to condense the government and non‐government contributions to disseminating solar energy throughout the country. Twenty‐one feasibility studies at different locations of Bangladesh are reviewed and analysed, in terms of financial viability, sensitivity analysis, and greenhouse gas emissions, to foresee the prospects of solar energy in Bangladesh. Sensitivity analyses are performed, with six sensitivity variables, which reveal that the total net present cost of the solar project implementation may be increased by 20% (maximum) in the lowest solar potential area than the highest one with an average payback period of 13 years. This paper also identifies the policy gaps, classifies the barriers into eight categories, and discusses the conceivable approaches to defeat those barriers, followed by recommendations in six different aspects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The transition toward a circular bioeconomy requires policy directives based on comprehensive research on biomass in the context of region-specific economic, societal, and environmental realities. Bangladesh, a densely populated country with an agrarian economy morphing rapidly into an industrial one, needs a critical evaluation of its biomass metabolism to enable local and global policy stakeholders in setting rational biomass-associated targets with policy pushes to achieve them. This article addresses the apparent research gap in the bioeconomy aspiration of Bangladesh by applying a systems perspective to quantify the extraction and use of biomass through economy-wide material flow analysis. The results indicate a twofold increase in domestic extraction of biomass in Bangladesh between 1961 and 2019. Bangladesh shows one of the highest rates of biomass extraction worldwide--a staggering 13 t/ha in 2019. Although the import dependency (currently at 9% of domestic material input) and consumption of animal products (4% of total calorie supply in 2018) in the country are comparatively low, both are increasing at scale. A further increase in the demand for food, in particular animal products, is evident from trends in population growth and dietary change. Apparently, the scope to expand the production of primary biomass for material and energy application seems limited. Rather, as the outcomes of this paper entail, circular bioeconomy strategies for Bangladesh should focus on creating a resilient and sustainable food system, reducing waste flows, cascadic use of crop residues, and so on, taking trade-offs between ecological, social, and economic goals into account. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Maternal parity, which is usually measured as the number of children born to a mother, has a substantial impact on the social and environmental factors around children and their development. This paper estimates the Early Childhood Development Index (ECDI) of 3‐ and 4‐year‐old children in Bangladesh and examines the relationship between maternal parity and early childhood development. Methods: The study analysed nationally representative data from the Bangladesh Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey 2019. The dataset had 9453 children aged from 36 to 59 months. The ECDI was computed following the UNICEF's approach involving psychometric computation of four domains of development: physical, literacy‐numeracy, learning and social–emotional. Since the dataset has a hierarchical structure, we used multilevel logistic regression. Results: A quarter (25%) of the children were not on track in their early childhood development. Seventy‐one percent were not developmentally on track in the literacy‐numeracy domain, 27% were not in the social–emotional and smaller percentages were not in learning (9%) and physical (1%) domains. There was a significant negative association between maternal parity and ECDI (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 0.95; 95% CI: 0.91–0.99). Attendance at early childhood education programmes was significantly associated with early childhood development (AOR 1.73; 95% CI: 1.47–2.03). Also, female children, those who were not stunted, located in rural areas, received parental stimulation activities, lived in relatively wealthy households or had mothers who had received secondary or further education were more likely than others to be on track of early childhood development. Conclusions: Early childhood development is negatively correlated with maternal parity. The literacy‐numeracy domain constitutes the major developmental delay. Programmes for parental awareness should be widely expanded. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper introduces the concept of in‐situ displacement‐displacement without mobility‐as an analytic for understanding the place of Hindus in Muslim majority East Bengal, East Pakistan, and Bangladesh, a national formation that is best defined as one of a changing identification with Pakistan and India, and, subsequently, as a sovereign country in South Asia. Elaborating the contributions of Corrigan and Sayer on state formation and law, the paper highlights the importance of the judiciary as constitutive of the meanings that attend to belonging in the body politic. Evidence for this argument comes from court cases in the Dacca Law Review. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change is increasing the frequency of extreme weather events, with low‐income countries being disproportionately impacted. However, these countries often face market frictions that hinder their ability to adopt effective adaptation strategies. In this paper, I explore the role of credit market failures in limiting adaptation. To achieve this, I collaborate with a large microfinance institution and offer a randomly selected group of farmers access to guaranteed credit through an "Emergency Loan" following a negative climate shock. I document three key results. First, farmers who have access to the emergency loan make less costly adaptation choices and are less severely affected when a flood occurs. Second, I find no evidence of adverse spillover effects on households that did not receive the Emergency Loan. Finally, I demonstrate that providing the Emergency Loan is profitable for the microfinance institution, making it a viable tool for the private sector to employ in similar circumstances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the factors affecting the labour allocation decisions of rice‐producing households in Bangladesh. A farm‐household model has been used to explore the household decision‐making mechanism. We use a primary questionnaire survey, and a Generalised Ordered Logit model is used to identify the factors affecting the sample households' likelihood of choosing different labour regimes, assuming hiring‐in is the top ordered alternative, followed by self‐cultivator and smallholders. Results show that one more year of schooling of the household head increases the likelihood of choosing the hiring‐in category against the lower‐ordered choices by 25 per cent. Having more cultivated land substantially improves the propensity of a household to hire labour versus selling labour or self‐cultivation (odds ratio 11.68). If a household lives a kilometre further from the Upazila headquarter, it is 11 per cent more likely to hire labour than being either a smallholder or self‐cultivator, which might be a result of the larger availability of labour in those areas. Additionally, an increase in the number of visits by agricultural extension officers reduces the household's likelihood of hiring labour by almost 21 per cent while making the households more likely to be self‐cultivators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Relatively little is known about micro‐ and macro‐level determinants of mobile phone ubiquitous system (MbUS) adoption by the manufacturing industry, such as is the case with the ready‐made garment (RMG) industry in Bangladesh. This research closes this gap, by presenting the adoption factors of MbUS in RMGs through applying the Rogers' Diffusion of Innovation theory and technology, organization, environment framework, to explore individual, technological, organizational, and environmental determinants of MbUS adoption. The study also reports on critical country level‐factors, organizational success factors and obstacles in MbUS adoption in RMGs. A qualitative method using interviews with the ready‐made garment (RMG) factory owners, managers, employees, and IT experts, suggests technological readiness, easily understandable MbUS technology, RMG capability, government intervention, and a supportive regulatory environment, were found to be macro‐level determinants of successful MbUS adoption. A survey was also conducted to explore the micro‐level customer‐centric factors, which found the relative advantages of MbUS, cost, the age of user's (p < 0.000), and influence on intention to use MbUS. This paper also identifies MbUS as a technical solution for time‐critical information in RMGs, the competitive environment of RMGs, empowerment opportunities and countrywide demands to improve the RMG situation, are important adoption factors of MbUS rarely identified in prior literature. The findings will be of value to RMGs, government, and MbUS developers, to accelerate development of MbUS in Bangladesh. Furthermore, the findings have implications for other developing countries by improving the capacity of RMGs, while realizing their own development goals through mobile technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]