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This study explores EAP teachers' views of underlying problems in teaching listening skills and the strategies adopted by them to overcome problems at the tertiary level in EFL contexts. The study is based on the theoretical assumption of listening perception processes and its role in language development as hypothesised by Richards (2008). In this instrumental case study, one EAP teacher was purposively interviewed to identify their understanding of the investigated issue. The generated data were analysed following the basic qualitative analysis method. The findings demonstrate that in teaching listening skills both the top-down and bottom-up approaches should be adopted to integrate process-based listening skills teaching, which promotes target language acquisition in and out of the classroom. The findings may make the EAP practitioners reconsider incorporating the bottom-up approach to improve the existing strategies of teaching listening skills at the tertiary level.

A good assessment system is one of the preconditions for quality education. Formative assessment is comparatively an emerging idea to assess the students throughout the academic year with the intention to identify and overcome the weaknesses of the students and enhance their learning outcome. Taking these into account, this study attempted to explore the teachers' perceptions of the use of formative assessment in enhancing teaching and learning in Bangladesh higher education. A mixed-method study was employed with survey and semi-structured interview as the data collection methods. 100 participants were randomly (simple random) selected for the survey, and 6 participants were purposively selected for the interviews. For analysing the data, descriptive analysis and content analysis were used. The findings of the study revealed majority of the participants agreed that formative assessment is crucial to enhance teaching and learning in Bangladeshi colleges. Nonetheless, there are some challenges like - teachers' biasness, shortage of teachers, large class, poor infrastructure, insufficient power supply, and heavy workload of the teachers. As a whole, this study will provide a fundamental ground for future research in formative assessment in Bangladeshi colleges specifically and for comparative study with other higher education institutions globally.

The article sheds light on discrimination that denies basic education to Rohingya refugee children currently living in the unregistered Kutupalong refugee camp at Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh. The condition of basic education is partially due to the discrimination they experience in Rakhine State, Myanmar. It is further shaped by limited education opportunities they are offered in the host country, Bangladesh. Employing a qualitative method, this study interviewed 18 informants from three categories: namely, Rohingya refugee children, guardians, and teachers (from Burmese and Bangladeshi backgrounds) and administered four focus group discussions to develop a deep understanding of their experiences. The results indicated that the unjust education opportunities provided by the Myanmar government and its divisive control of Rakhine State create various and linked forms of discrimination. The study revealed that ethnic identity, gender, religious background, age, and economic status play crucial roles in denying refugee children basic education in Myanmar and Bangladesh.

The purpose of this study is to build a model for Digital Content Management (DCM) in agricultural university libraries in Bangladesh. The model focuses on identifying the necessary tools and techniques required for DCM and finding out the problems and prospects of DCM for enhancing resource sharing among the agricultural universities in Bangladesh. To investigate these issues, surveys were used to collect data from 245 participants, who were students and teachers from seven public agricultural universities in Bangladesh. The findings reveal some hindrances to the establishment of DCM, such as lack of constant power supply, limited bandwidth speed, some users have lacking fundamental IT knowledge and shortage of digital resources, in addition to some suggestions for improving DCM in these libraries. Based on the survey results and related literature, the DCM model for agricultural university libraries of Bangladesh has been proposed and discussed.

Objective: The study aimed to assess the prevalence of depression and its associated factors among university students in Bangladesh. Participants: A total of 403 undergraduate students from Patuakhali Science and Technology University, and Barisal University participated in the study. Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted using Beck's Depression Inventory (BDI). Result: The prevalence of depression (BDI = 14) was 47.14%. Depression was 3.4 times (95% CI: 1.6-7.1), 3.8 times (95% CI: 1.7-8.6), and 3.9 times (95% CI: 1.5-8.9) higher among 2nd, 3rd, and 4th-year students, respectively than 1st-year students. Students with a history of stressful life events (aOR = 2.7, 95% CI: 1.7-4.4), suicidal attempts (aOR = 3.0, 95% CI: 1.2-7.9), and who received inadequate monthly allowance from their family (aOR = 0.53 95% CI: 0.3-0.9) were more likely to develop depressive symptoms. Conclusion: This study reports a high level of depression among university students which needs further discussion, exploration, and calls for designing appropriate interventions.

The current debates in the area of researchers' positionalities criticize the notion of the 'insider/outsider' dichotomy and favour the idea of a fluid inbetweener position. However, these narratives foreground researchers' perspectives and often ignore participants' agency in constructing a researcher's positionality in the field. In this paper, as an early career researcher, I analyze my journey with my own positionalities in ethnographic research in a rural community in Bangladesh. Adopting a Critical Realist ontological standpoint, I argue that positionalities are co-constructed by researcher and participant and are products of complex interactions between their agencies and the social structure. I illustrate how reflexivity, taking both my and the participants' views into account, facilitated my movement towards a position where the participants expose their habitual behaviour (not hesitating to offer their day-to-day food -- mash potato) rather than providing superficial information (as they do to a guest, for whom they will at least fry an egg -- a special arrangement -- for dinner).

Eucalyptus has emerged as a game-changer in Bangladesh's forestry sector due to its high productivity in dry and infertile areas. To understand farmers' preference for eucalyptus despite government bans, comprehensive surveys and on-farm experiments were conducted in Dinajpur, Bangladesh. Additionally, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University (BSMRAU) conducted small-scale field and pot experiments to evaluate the allelopathic impacts of eucalyptus roots, bark, and leaf extracts on rice yield during the Boro and Aus seasons. Our survey revealed that, despite challenges like water competition, leaf contamination, hindered tillage, and reduced soil fertility, farmers successfully grow rice, maize, potato, tomato, mustard, and grass alongside eucalyptus trees. Farmers are motivated by eucalyptus's potential to enhance economic returns, evidenced by a high benefit–cost ratio of 1.22‒1.81 and a 10-year net compensation of US$5552–9918, even after yield losses. Our Dinajpur field experiment showed that rice yield was relatively unaffected at 5 m from the tree base, but closer distances reduced yield by 56.77 and 42.10% in Boro and Aus seasons, respectively, compared with sole rice systems. Field and pot experiments at BSMRAU showed a severe decline in rice yields with increasing tree leaf coverage and eucalyptus extract concentrations (0 to 100% concentration), likely due to allelochemicals. Surprisingly, areas near the eucalyptus base showed enhanced total nitrogen and organic carbon levels, credited to substantial leaf litter deposition. Our research decisively proves that eucalyptus and eucalyptus-based agroforestry systems boost farmers' socio-economic status by offering valuable forest resources and debunking harmful misconceptions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study determines to find out the present situation of Bangladesh and Global Studies test items/creative questions in Bangladesh. This descriptive study was conducted using a concurrent triangulation research design. To conduct this study both quantitative and qualitative data were collected. 16 test of Bangladesh and Global Studies test items/creative question papers of 2015 or 2016 were selected purposively as a sample from all educational boards. Bangladesh and Global Studies curriculum were analyzed to find out the major skills reflected through the curriculum. 48 students were selected conveniently for an interview from those who had been passed the SSC examination of 2015 or 2016. For collecting data from these sources, test analysis protocol, the curriculum content reading protocol and interview protocol were used as research tools. Test analysis protocol consisted of two criteria; wording criteria and practising criteria. Selected test items were analyzed based on these two criteria and Bloom's cognitive domain. The study revealed that there was an imbalance in wording criteria and practising criteria of test items. SSC examination test items didn't reflect the major skills of the curriculum appropriately. Most of the test items promoted students lower level learning and ignored higher level learning.

The present qualitative study investigates teachers' classroom practice to develop primary level students English writing skills in Bangladesh, India. Five-government primary school and five teachers were chosen conveniently from each school in Dhaka. Randomly three English classes of each teacher were chosen to observe their teaching learning practice. The study used a lesson observation protocol and interview protocols as an instrument of data collection. Qualitative data were analyzed thematically. Teachers used traditional teaching-learning methods emphasizing students' rote learning and used Bangla as a medium of instruction. The study also found teachers' challenges like large class size, extra workload, lack of teaching aids etc. in developing students writing skill at the elementary level. The study explored that teachers' current practice in Bangladesh does not help students to develop their writing skill at all.

Classroom assessment is an essential part of education. The study investigated teachers' perceptions of classroom assessment and their current classroom assessments practices in secondary science in Bangladesh. Specifically, the study sought to gain an understanding of to what extent teachers use different classroom assessment strategies to understand and to support both teaching and learning processes and how their perception is related with their classroom assessment practice. The study was mainly quantitative with some integration of qualitative approach. Data sources were secondary science teachers and their science classrooms. The study used a questionnaire to establish the teachers' perceptions of classroom assessment in science, a lesson observation protocol, and pre-lesson and post-lesson observation interview protocols as main sources of data collection. A total of thirty teachers (twenty male and ten female) were chosen randomly from six secondary schools in Dhaka city. The findings suggest that teachers perceive classroom assessment as summative assessment. What teachers said about their classroom assessment practice was not reflected during their teaching. Therefore, the teachers' perceptions of classroom assessment have no significant relation with their classroom assessment practices.

The purpose of the current study is to investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the education sector in China and Bangladesh. This research employs document analysis technique to represent the context. The majority of the research articles used in this study are chosen from well-recognized platforms (i.e., Web of Science, Scopus, Science Direct, PubMed, EBSCOhost and Google Scholar). The findings of this paper illustrate that the pandemic has shaken the education system across the world. The COVID-19 pandemic forced to shut down many educational institutions, which temporarily displaced millions of students across the world. Undoubtedly, the COVID-19 pandemic revealed a direct relationship to reduced learning possibilities of many students in Bangladesh. On the contrary, the COVID-19 pandemic has revealed a new learning dimension across the world. However, the pandemic threatens mental health and throws questions regarding the effectiveness of online education in many nations, e.g. Bangladesh, and China. This study adds notable value to the existing literature by recommending some visionary guidelines for the education stakeholders.

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).

The study investigates teachers' classroom assessment practices of secondary schools in Bangladesh. The study is mainly quantitative with some integration of qualitative approach. Secondary science teachers and their science classrooms were main data source of the study, which were selected randomly. Data sources were secondary science teachers and their science classrooms. The study used a lesson observation protocol to understand their classroom assessment practice, and pre-lesson and post-lesson observation interview protocols as main sources of data collection. Qualitative data from interview were used to triangulate the quantitative data from observation. A total of thirty teachers (twenty male and ten female) were chosen randomly from six secondary schools in Dhaka. The study explored that teachers' current practice of classroom assessment was to only assess students learning achievement and they followed traditional methods to assess students. The dominated assessment activity was oral questioning and very few students take part in the assessment activities by answering the questions. The classroom questions are basically focused very specific responses and encouraged rote learning; even students' didn't get enough time for thinking and answering the questions. Therefore the study suggests changing current practices by using different assessment strategies like self and peer assessment and focus on assessment for learning to ensure effective teaching-learning and quality education. These findings can inform the classroom teachers as well as o relevant stakeholders in making necessary changes in the present classroom assessment practices in Bangladesh.

Creative question is generally considered as a tool to measure students' various levels of learning. The study focused on exploring the present situation of General Science test items/creative questions in Bangladesh. This descriptive study was conducted using a concurrent triangulation research design. To conduct this study both quantitative and qualitative data were collected. 16 test of General Science test items/creative question papers of 2015 or 2016 were selected purposively as sample from all educational boards. 48 students were selected conveniently for interview from those who had been passed the SSC examination of 2015 or 2016. For collecting data from these sources test analysis protocol and interview protocol were used as research tools. Test analysis protocol was consisted of two criteria; wording criteria and practicing criteria. Selected test items were analyzed based on these two criteria and Bloom's cognitive domain. The study revealed that major test items were developed in a way which direct students towards lower level learning. Few test items were focused to students understanding, application and higher order learning. In practice, students were engaged to only memorization and understanding through SSC examination assessment. Few test items were devoted to application level learning of students. Higher order learning was totally ignored in SSC examination questions.

The study focused on exploring science teachers' perception of classroom assessment in secondary schools of Bangladesh. A mixed method approach was used to explore science teachers' perception of classroom assessment by identifying their concept about classroom assessment and how they conduct assessment activities in science classes. A total of thirty teachers (twenty male and ten female) were chosen randomly to collect quantitative data and twelve teachers were chosen purposively for qualitative data collection from six secondary schools in Dhaka. The study used a questionnaire and interview protocols as main sources of data collection. The study revealed that teachers are holding misconceptions about idea of classroom assessment. Majority of the teachers perceive classroom assessment as summative assessment and it should be through oral questioning. Analysis of quantitative and qualitative data exhibited that teachers perceive students should be assessed both lower and higher order learning using different techniques (self-assessment, peer assessment) and modes (oral, written) of assessment and at the same time they believe that it's difficult to use multiple techniques and modes of assessment in science classrooms. The overall findings of the study suggest that teachers don't have clear idea about classroom assessment that results in holding conflicting perception about science classroom assessment.

Now-a-days mobile phone is very important communicational device. This cableless device reduces the hazards of the land phone. In spite of its various advantages it has some disadvantages also. Misusing of mobile phone increases the disadvantages of this device day by day. Unnecessary talking makes the reasons of wasting the money and time for the youth. Modern cell phones enable users to access a variety of electronic media at almost any time and any place. At present, the cell phone is likely to be on hand while university students are in class and studying. Thus, the main purpose of the present study is to investigate the usages pattern of cell phone in class room with the help of the evidences from Mathematical and Physical Science Faculty Students of Jahangirnagar University. The result shows that a cell phone is a very important tool for study as most of the respondents used their phones for study purposes. Cell phones are increasingly one of the most popular information access devices and multiuser functions which can be beneficial during study. This study suggests that mobile phone designers must take into account how young people use cell phones for educational purposes. The presence of cell phones presents a host of options and challenges for today's students. Higher institutions can take advantage of the potential and capitalize on the cell phone for educational purposes because of the intrinsic motivation of university students in wanting to communicate among themselves.

Background This study aimed to characterise the clinical and epidemiological profiles of dengue patients and their outcomes during an ongoing outbreak in a non-endemic region of Bangladesh. Methods This prospective observational study analysed 805 confirmed dengue cases during August–December 2023. Data on demographic, clinical and laboratory profiles, as well as outcomes, were gathered using a structured questionnaire. Statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS 25. Results The mean age of dengue patients was 31.5 (±12.2) y, with the majority being males (81.2%). All 805 patients experienced fever, 792 (98.4%) had headaches, 698 (86.7%) had myalgia, 601 (74.7%) had persistent vomiting and 598 (74.3%) had abdominal pain. Bleeding was observed in 191 (23.7%) patients and neurological symptoms were seen in 209 (25.9%) patients. Most patients (n=781, 97%) exhibited non-severe symptoms, while 3% (n=24) had severe symptoms. Among the 24 severe cases, four (16.7%) patients were reported to have encephalitis and one (4.2%) patient had meningoencephalitis. Moreover, 365 patients (45.3%) had travelled to an endemic region who were predominantly males (n=327, 89.6%). Most dengue patients recovered well with rapid fluid replacement therapy (n=754, 93.7%). Conclusions The 2023 dengue outbreak in a non-endemic area of Bangladesh primarily impacted males, young adults, with the majority presenting non-severe symptoms. Further studies are essential to validate and build upon these results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Design: Prospective, cross-sectional study. Objectives: To determine the functional outcome and home and social integration of people who had spinal cord injury and completed their inpatient rehabilitation. Setting: Centre for the Rehabilitation of the Paralysed (CRP), Bangladesh. Methods: Spinal Cord Independence Measure (SCIM) and Community Integration Questionnaire (CIQ) were used to analyse the relationship between the functional outcome and home and social integration at the end of rehabilitation. Descriptive and inferential statistics were performed to analyse the data. Results: A total of two hundred participants (181 men and 19 women) were recruited for the study. Among the participants, 92.5% of them reported a history of trauma or accident, including road traffic accidents, falls and other injuries. Approximately 60% of participants presented with paraplegia and 62.5% of participants were categorized on the ASIA Impairment Scale (AIS) as Grade A, complete spinal cord injury. Participants with paraplegia and participants with a Grade B, incomplete injury, on the AIS were functionally more independent (p = 0.011)) compared with participants with tetraplegia and other AIS grades. Participants with paraplegia reported having a more active lifestyle (p = 0.040) in their home and social activities compared to those with tetraplegia. There was no significant association found between functional independence at pre-discharged and community integration one-month post-discharge of the people with SCI. Conclusion: A month after discharge, there is no statistically significant relationship between community reintegration and functional independence. A measure of functional independence may not be a suitable indicator of community integration. It is proposed that to monitor a person's community integration the CIQ could be used with a measure of quality of life as this would indicate a person's contentment with their level of community integration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Despite high coverage of antenatal care (ANC) and family welfare assistant (FWA) visits, emergency contraceptive pill (ECP) awareness is critically low in Bangladesh. We aim to investigate the missed opportunities in generating ECP awareness through ANC and FWA visit programs; and assess the missed opportunities and sociodemographic discrimination in receiving family planning (FP) counseling during ANC. Methods: We used data from the nationwide Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey 2017–18. Sample includes 5012 reproductive-aged women who gave live birth in the last 3 years preceding the survey. We used mixed-effect multiple logistic regression considering women nested within clusters to conclude. Results: Nationally, 79% of women who gave live birth in the last 3 years preceding the survey were unaware of ECP. The estimated missed opportunities in generating ECP awareness was 59.5% in ANC, 0.9% in FWA visits, and 12.3% in both ANC and FWA visits. While FWA visit was not associated with ECP awareness, receiving FP counseling during ANC was significantly associated. About 88.4% of women remained unexposed to FP counseling through ANC during their last pregnancy. Missed opportunities in FP counseling during ANC was 80.4% of which 72% points were from qualified providers. The odds of missed opportunities was not associated with provider type, rather significantly increased among women with low education, lower parity, and poor socioeconomic status. Conclusions: This study highlights the fragile status of FP counseling during ANC and FWA visits in generating ECP awareness. A prominent provider bias is excluding women of the disadvantageous sociodemographic group from receiving FP counseling. Plain English summary: Emergency contraceptive pill (ECP) awareness is low in Bangladesh, particularly among women with low education, and poor socioeconomic status. However, the extent to which the antenatal care (ANC) and family welfare assistant (FWA) programs fail to generate ECP awareness is never measured. To address this knowledge gap, we estimated the missed opportunity to generate ECP awareness through ANC and FWA programs. Further, we investigated the missed opportunity and sociodemographic discrimination in receiving family planning counseling during ANC. We scrutinized the Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey 2017–18 data of 5012 women who gave their last live birth 3 years preceding the survey. About 73% of women remain unaware of ECP despite receiving ANC or getting FWA visits at home. Family planning counseling during ANC increased ECP awareness but the FWA program did not. Women from rural areas, with low education, limited media exposure, and from lower wealth quintiles are still left unaware of ECP. The missed opportunity of providing family planning counseling during ANC is high (80.4%), particularly among women with low education, lower parity, and poor socioeconomic status. The study provides valuable insights to the policy planners for rectifying the family planning program of ANC and FWA visits in Bangladesh. Findings reveal the disadvantaged women who know less about ECP and are informed less about family planning during ANC which may help programs to reach the unreached women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Knowing the spatial variation and predictors of women having sole autonomy over their healthcare decisions is crucial to design site-specific interventions. This study examined how women's sole autonomy over their healthcare choices varies geographically and what factors influence this autonomy among Bangladeshi women of childbearing age. Methods: Data were obtained from the Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey (BDHS) 2017–18. The final analysis included data from a total of 18,890 (weighted) women. Spatial distribution, hot spot analysis, ordinary Kriging interpolation, and multilevel multinomial regression analysis were employed. Results: The study found that approximately one in ten women (9.62%) exercised complete autonomy in making decisions about their healthcare. Spatial analysis revealed a significant clustering pattern in this autonomy (Moran's I = 0.234, p < 0.001). Notably, three divisions—Barisal, Chittagong, and Sylhet—emerged as hot spots where women were more likely to have sole autonomy over their healthcare choices. In contrast, the cold spots (poor level of sole healthcare autonomy by women) were mainly identified in Mymensingh and Rangpur divisions. Women in the age group of 25–49 years, who were highly educated, Muslim, urban residents, and had not given birth recently were more likely to have sole autonomy in making healthcare decisions for themselves. Conversely, women whose husbands were highly educated and employed, as well as those who were pregnant, were less likely to have sole autonomy over their healthcare choices. Conclusions: Since the spatial distribution was clustered, public health interventions should be planned to target the cold spot areas of women's sole healthcare autonomy. In addition, significant predictors contributing to women's sole healthcare autonomy must be emphasized while developing interventions to improve women's empowerment toward healthcare decision-making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change has become a major global concern, and it has severe consequences for all communities. Coastal areas of Bangladesh are vulnerable to climate change because of their geophysical condition and geographical position. Although climate change affects people's sustainable livelihood strategies in coastal regions of Bangladesh, it has gained limited attention in academic discourse. This study, hence, aimed to investigate the impact of climate change on the sustainable livelihood strategies of coastal people. Utilizing an explanatory sequential mixed research approach, including stakeholders' consultations, household surveys, in-depth interviews (IDIs), focus group discussions (FGDs), and key informant interviews (KIIs), the study was carried out in Char Kukrumukri union in Bhola District, one of the climate-vulnerable areas of the country. Our study findings revealed that climate change primarily affects natural and physical capital, which in turn impacts financial, human, social, and political capital, and in the end, creates different forms of vulnerabilities. The study also explored a significant association between increasing waterlogging areas and reducing arable lands ( X 2 = 38.02; p < 0.001), and the reduction in fresh water sources and damages in agricultural production ( X 2 = 80; p < 0.001). The study further highlighted that the government efforts, such as polderization, aimed at preventing salinity in coastal areas, have failed due to the lack of integration with the representation of local people. The lack of integration between the local community's voices and government actions poses additional challenges to maintaining people's sustainable livelihood strategies. Thus, the study suggests a successful integration of localized practices and government interventions to address the climate-induced livelihood challenges to coastal people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During my (Hafiz) childhood in Bangladesh, I experienced the negative impact of the educational system. My experiences initiated a process of conscientization leading to values-driven activism through the establishment of Education for Development and Sustainability (EDS), a child-friendly community of practice, with Trine and Alamin. In encounters with Erling and Sigrid, we became aware that our activities were in accordance with action research based on cooperative inquiry (Heron & Reason, 2008). From that point of departure, we developed our own collaborative living theory. In this paper, we explore the research question "How did we become action researchers and what is our driving force?" by using Stoller's (1989) autobiographical narrative method to analyse selected, lived experiences. Sharing lived experiences and engaging in activism with each other and the EDS children became the base for our conscientization, radical empiricism and contemplating involvement in EDS. Value based activism can create empathic relations and emotions through shared engagement for social justice and the realization that we create a shared reality. Hence, conducting action research with children/youth is in our experience a key to sustainable development. However, to increase the transparency and validity of our research, we needed to explore how our experiences and actions have influenced our values, emotions and decisions to conduct research, our research topic and the research in itself. Therefore, we have engaged co-researchers and participants to critically question the research practice and made it open for discussion and comments in order to see alternative ways of interpreting situations and processes.

CLT (Communicative Language Teaching) was substituted for GTM (Grammar Translation Method) at higher secondary level in Bangladesh in 2001. This replacement of ELT method was a significant change in the English curriculum. This study aimed to determine that the mismanagement of the change is a prime cause of not getting expected CLT outcomes at higher secondary education in Bangladesh. Having been qualitative in nature, this research used secondary sources of information and interpreted the findings in words to present the reality of CLT in Bangladesh. The major findings were: clarifying possible change to employees through communication, involving employees in the change process, and training them so that they can cope with the change. The study also found that the present CLT situation in Bangladesh is not in a satisfactory level. The result of the study demonstrated that proper change management principles were not followed when introducing CLT into education system. The study presents some suggestions for retrieving the current CLT situations in Bangladesh.

This paper analyses some key historical developments (from early twentieth century to present) in Bangladesh from a socio-historical and language ideological perspective to explore the social injustice faced by the non-dominant and linguistically diverse population. These developments sparked language debates involving questions of identity, nationhood, and political hegemony. The Bengal partition in 1905, for example, flared up the Bengali monolingualism and the territorial principle so strongly that the British had to give in, putting the non-dominant Bengali-speaking Muslims at a socio-economic disadvantage. The 1947 partition brought to the forefront the ideologies of an Islamic language, a Hindu language, and linguistic diversity as a threat to national unity, making both the Bengali-speaking Muslims and the hill people face social and political injustice. The birth of Bangladesh in 1971 was a welcome change but its monolingual Bengali ideology put the speakers of minority languages at a long-term disadvantage. The 1997 Peace Accord, UNESCOS's 1999 declaration of 21 February as the International Mother Language Day, the 2010 educational policy, and the creation of an International Mother Language Institute offered some flickers of hope, but the underlying ideology remains Bengali monolingual, still creating barriers for a socially just future for minority language speakers.

This article investigates non-migration of fishermen communities living adjacent to the Sundarbans in Bangladesh. While analysing the regular livelihood patterns of these communities, this article explores a symbiotic relationship among livelihoods, risks, and natural resources in understanding fishermen's choice of locations in the vulnerable areas. We have adopted a mixed method approach in conducting questionnaire survey, interviews, and focus group discussion at household level. We have employed a triangulation system in the study, i.e. collected data from different sources to compare and then used diverse methods to check whether the information was consistent. Upon analysing the data obtained from field investigation, it can be concluded that the critical relationships exist among livelihoods, risks, and immobility of fishermen community in the Sundarbans. Therefore, fishing households' non-migration can be explained in-between voluntary and in-voluntary decision-making process. The study claims that the decision-making process depends on a symbiotic relationship between livelihoods, vulnerability, and natural resources management. The findings reveal that fishing households utilise assets and opportunities to build a blended livelihood strategies including natural resource extraction; diversifying income sources; borrowing and investment; asset pooling; and building social capital. Finally, this study concludes that this process of combining and transforming different assets for livelihood strategies can be explained as an autonomous adaptation process in the face of climate change. Particularly, the study accomplishes that this autonomous adaptation process defines the nature and dynamics of non-migration strategies of fishing communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Elementary education serves as the foundation for students' future endeavors. Each year, many students in rural Bangladesh fail public examinations, and those who pass often do so by rote memorization, lacking proficiency in the four key language skills required for competence in English. Primary education was chosen for this study as it is a crucial stage where teachers bear full responsibility for student learning. The primary objective of this research was to identify the obstacles in teaching and learning English at the elementary level in rural areas of Bangladesh. Data were gathered using two sets of questionnaires administered to both students and teachers to assess the state of English language education in these primary schools. Additionally, teacher interviews and classroom observations, guided by an observation checklist, were conducted to gain a comprehensive understanding of the current teaching practices. The findings reveal that the majority of rural students struggle with English due to several factors, including a shortage of skilled and trained teachers, inadequate teacher training, inappropriate teaching methods and materials, limited contact hours, large class sizes, and insufficient pedagogical knowledge. This paper also includes several recommendations based on the research findings to address these challenges effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Farmed freshwater prawn (Macrobrachium rosenbergii) and black tiger shrimp (Penaeus monodon) comprise a significant portion of Bangladesh's seafood exports, raising concerns about their environmental impacts. Freshwater prawn farms, which require a relatively high amount of feed supply, release 1.0 MT CO2-equivalents/year, equating to 18.8 kg CO2e/MT prawn, contributing significantly to global warming and climate change risks. Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture (IMTA) offers an alternative farming method to conventional prawn farming systems, as it minimizes greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and climate change impacts. Systematically reviewing 112 scientific articles on IMTA, this article offers recommendations for adopting IMTA to promote sustainable freshwater prawn farming in Bangladesh. IMTA is undergoing extensive experimentation and practice in many parts of the world, offering economic benefits, social acceptability, and environmental sustainability. In addition to native prawn species, various indigenous organic extractive freshwater mollusks, and inorganic extractive plants are available which can seamlessly be used to tailor the IMTA system. Extractive organisms, including aquatic mollusks and plants within prawn farms, can capture blue carbon effectively lowering GHG emissions and helping mitigate climate change impacts. Aquatic mollusks offer feed for fish and livestock, while aquatic plants serve as a dual food source and contribute to compost manure production for crop fields. Research on IMTA in Bangladesh was primarily experimented on finfish in freshwater ponds, with the absence of studies on IMTA in prawn farms. This necessitates conducting research at the prawn farmer level to understand the production of extractive aquatic mollusk and plants alongside prawn in the prawn-producing regions of southwestern Bangladesh. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Among 13 endemic districts, the Chittagong Hill Tracts bear more than 90% of Bangladesh's malaria burden. Despite the private sector's prominence in rural healthcare, its role in malaria management remains underutilized. This study aimed to strategize leveraging the for-profit private sector, such as diagnostic and treatment centers, to bolster national malaria surveillance and control, advancing Bangladesh toward malaria elimination by 2030. Methods: This mixed-method study commenced with a questionnaire-based cross-sectional survey followed by selected focused group discussions (FGDs) among the participants. Three FGDs were held with the for-profit service providers so that further insights and qualitative viewpoints of them can be utilized in situation analysis. Based on the endemicity and strategic priorities, a comprehensive mapping of private for-profit facilities from the regions comprising 15 sub-districts across 8 chosen districts (7 malaria endemic districts and the rest non-endemic districts) was created. For the non-endemic zone, the sub-districts were selected based on their proximity to an area with high malaria transmission. Results: Among the 104 representative participants, majority were male (n = 92, 88.5%), had a diploma in their respective fields (n = 53, 51%) and were involved either in laboratory work (n = 49, 47.1%) or as owners/managers of health centers (n = 41, 39.4%). The selected health facilities were close to the corresponding Upazila Health Complexes (mean distance 2.8 km), but were distantly located from the designated district hospitals (mean distance 48.9 km). The main sources of RDT kits (62.3%) and anti-malarial drugs (63.2%) were local wholesale markets. A large share of the corresponding facilities neither provided malaria treatment services (81.7%) nor worked with the NMEP (93.3%). Conclusions: This study highlights challenges and recommendations for engaging private for-profit health facilities in Bangladesh's malaria elimination efforts. The identified challenges include low-quality RDTs, staff shortages, and inadequate capacity building. Recommendations emphasize effective training, stakeholder interaction, and enhanced oversight for successful malaria control efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Undergoing women of pregnancy termination (PT) significantly faces the problem of physical and mental health. This study aims to assess the prevalence and socioeconomic disparity factors of PT in Bangladesh. This study analyzed data from the 2017–18 Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey. Researchers employed chi-square tests to identify relationships between categorical variables and logistic regression to pinpoint factors associated with PT. To assess the socioeconomic variation of PT, the analysis utilized concentration curves, concentration indices, and decomposition techniques. Results: The study found that 21.0% of reproductive-aged women in Bangladesh had ever terminated a pregnancy. Our study revealed that women from Chittagong and Sylhet regions, with wealthier backgrounds, aged 30 or older, employed in business, taking short birth intervals, and whose husband/partner was 35 or older, were more likely to have had a pregnancy termination with statistical significance (p < 0.05). Besides, concentration curves showed a higher prevalence of PT among wealthier women (CCI = 0.029, p < 0.001). Decomposition of this inequality revealed that a woman's wealth status was the largest contributor (74.98%) to the observed disparities, followed by exposure to mass media (41.82%), place of residence (34.35%), occupation (24.81%), and preceding birth interval (6.53%). Our study recommended that, in mitigating the above disparities, we should foster open discussions about underlying factors contributing to PT in Bangladesh. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Five Phyllanthus species were characterized using a fluorochrome chromosome banding technique with CMA and DAPI. This genus displayed a range of somatic chromosomal counts, including 2n = 2x = 26 (diploid) in P. acidus, P. niruri, and P. reticulatus; 2n = 6x = 48 (hexaploid) in P. urinaria; and 2n = 10x = 100 (decaploid) in P. emblica (wild and cultivated varieties), which exhibited a multi-basic chromosome number. The centromeric and terminal regions of the chromosomes contained most of the CMA and DAPI bands, indicating that GC- and AT-rich repeats had accumulated in these locations. The diversity based on the heterochromatin distribution patterns made it possible to use the CMA and DAPI banding approaches to analyze and characterize these five Phyllanthus species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Newspapers can be a vital source of information in Bangladesh for investigating child maltreatment (CM), since the epidemiological data on CM is underestimated. Yet, there is little information on how CM-related content is covered in newspapers. To investigate the distribution and news framing of different types of CM cases, 2,957 news reports were collected retrospectively from six national (four Bengali and two English-language) daily newspapers published from January to December 2017. Berelson's quantitative content analysis technique (only manifest content) was used to analyze the stories. From the descriptive statistics, this study showed that sexual (30%) and physical abuse (29%) were highly reported in Bangladeshi print media. Although 72% of newspapers focused on episodic events, only 27% of CM stories were reported using thematic frame. Individual-level causal (72%) and solution frame (53%) were more prominent, whereas societal-level solution frame (18%) were poorly reported focusing on the larger context of the society. We recommend that authorities take necessary steps to encourage journalists to cover more thematic news with societal-level solution frames to help prevent CM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the integration of ChatGPT into university libraries to enhance knowledge management practices. Employing a qualitative case study approach, twelve respondents from six universities, including Library and Information Science (LIS) and Information Technology (IT) professionals, were interviewed using a semi-structured questionnaire. The research explores the processes, user experiences, challenges, and perceived benefits of ChatGPT in these academic settings. Findings indicate that ChatGPT significantly improves user interactions by providing a more intuitive and accessible information retrieval interface. The study also highlights the critical role of interdisciplinary collaboration between LIS and IT professionals in successfully implementing ChatGPT, which aligns with existing literature emphasizing user-centric design in knowledge management. Challenges such as data privacy and ongoing system refinement were identified, underscoring the need for robust security measures and continuous improvement. The study concludes that while ChatGPT offers considerable benefits in enhancing knowledge management and user interaction, it requires careful integration and ongoing management to realize its full potential. Future research should broaden the scope of institutions studied and explore longitudinal impacts to enhance generalizability and understand long-term effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research examines the attitudes and awareness of the EFL learners and teachers to the integration of English movies in their classes. Thus, the article will deal with the nature of using movies in EFL classroom by teachers and the acceptance of it by the learners. The study has been conducted on the teachers and learners of the Cadet Colleges of Bangladesh in the academic year 2022-2023. The participants in this study are English teachers of varied experience and students of pre-intermediate and intermediate levels, aged 12-18. The data are collected through two questionnaires prepared for teachers and learners respectively. Both qualitative and quantitative data are collected and used for preparing results. The results of the study have shown the impacts of using movies in EFL classroom and the problems and prospects of using it in the secondary level institutions of Bangladesh. The study concludes that movies are being used by some of the teachers but many are interested to use; and presenting the target language in a more natural way movies attract students' attention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

β-thalassemia, a life-threatening inheritable hemoglobin disorder caused by mutations in the HBB gene, poses a significant public health challenge in the world. Although no comprehensive work has been carried out in Bangladesh, the world prevalence and small-scale works indicated the possibility of a high prevalence of this disease in the country. Therefore, this review aims to explore the present situation of β-thalassemia in Bangladesh and propose approaches to mitigate its impact in the future. Limited awareness, a high incidence of consanguineous marriage, and inadequate access to healthcare are possible factors responsible for the high prevalence of thalassemia in Bangladesh, while the absence of public health policy and a national health insurance system further exacerbate the situation. The understanding of the genetic landscape and modern treatment strategies for β-thalassemia is hindered by the lack of comprehensive data on the mutation spectrum. In addition to conventional therapy such as blood transfusion, advanced practices such as splenectomy, hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, and emerging therapies such as gene therapy show promise for future cures but have yet to be widely implemented in this country. To effectively address the challenges of β-thalassemia, it is crucial to adopt comprehensive strategies, including a public awareness campaign, public health intervention, mandatory premarital screening, genetic counselling, and a national thalassemia prevention program. Additionally, understanding the spectrum of mutations and new therapeutic interventions is crucial for advanced healthcare strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Antenatal care (ANC) is vital for screening, disease detection, and health education for expectant mothers. Objective: This study aimed to analyze factors that influence the utilization of ANC services in Bangladesh, assess socioeconomic disparities, and identify factors contributing to these disparities among reproductive-aged women. Methods: Data from the Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey (BDHS) in the period 2007–2018 were used for the study, and a total of 30,940 (weighted) Bangladeshi women aged 15–49 years were included. Decomposition analysis and multivariable logistic regression were used to analyze data. Results: The prevalence of ANC utilization in Bangladesh increased from 20.44% in 2007 to 46.86% in 2017–18. This study found that the place of residence (14.26%), mothers' education (21.84%), birth order (7.11%), and partners' education (14.64%) were the main contributors to the socioeconomic inequalities in the ANC-seeking behavior. Women residing in urban areas [adjusted odds ratio (AOR): 1.47; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.35–1.60; P < 0.001), having higher education (AOR: 3.00; CI: 2.47–3.64; P < 0.001), being overweight/obese (AOR: 1.21; CI: 1.09–1.34; P < 0.001), and having partners with higher education (AOR: 1.53; CI: 1.32–1.79; P < 0.001) are more likely to utilize ANC compared to women who do not have these attributes. Conclusion: The study highlighted the socioeconomic factors (i.e., women's education, partner's education, household wealth, and women's body mass index); however, due to the unavailability of related data, it did not include sociocultural variables that may influence ANC utilization in Bangladesh. It also revealed the disparities between rural and urban areas. To increase ANC utilization by women, the government can implement strategies that address rural infrastructure, prevent child marriage, and improve health information access. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The most prevalent probiotic bacterium employed in the food industry is Lactobacillus because it can produce metabolites with antibacterial capabilities and exhibits hostility towards infections and microorganisms that cause spoilage. Aim: This study set out to identify naturally occurring Lactobacillus and plantaricin (pln EF) coding genes in raw cow milk and to assess the antibacterial potency of isolated Lactobacillus isolates. Methods: Following enrichment in De Man, Rogosa and Sharpe (MRS) broth, single colonies were isolated, and pure colonies were obtained by streaking on MRS agar. The 16S rRNA gene was amplified using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to confirm the cultural positivity of all isolates. Additionally, the presence of plantaricin was verified by targeting the pln EF gene through PCR. Outcome: Out of the 166 raw milk specimens acquired from cows, 153 (91.17%; CI: 86.98–95.76) were identified as positive for Lactobacillus through both culture and biochemical screening. Subsequently, 121 (72.89%; CI: 65.46–79.49) of the isolates were affirmed to harbour Lactobacillus through PCR analysis. Within this subset, 6 isolates (4.96%; CI: 1.84–10.48) were found to possess the plnEF gene. When exposed to Lactobacillus isolates, Salmonella Typhimurium and Salmonella enterica displayed an average maximum zone of inhibition with a diameter measuring 24 mm. In contrast, Escherichia coli exhibited an average minimum zone of inhibition, featuring a diameter of 11 mm. Additionally, the Lactobacillus isolates demonstrated inhibitory zones against Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Klebsiella oxytoca, measuring 14, 22 and 19 mm, respectively. Clinical significance: Lactic acid bacteria, particularly Lactobacilli, are plentiful in cow milk and possess broad‐spectrum antibacterial properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, annual time-series data from 1972 to 2021 are utilized to evaluate the existence of the environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) in Bangladesh. The study also takes into consideration a number of other characteristics, including openness to trade, renewable energy sources, and foreign direct investment (FDI). In this work, we have used the ARDL model to analyze the cointegration of the variables using the mixed orders, or I(0) and I(1), of the variables. Zivot–Andrews demonstrate a single structural break across all variables. The ARDL bound test confirms the notion of long-term cointegration between the variables. The relationship between CO2 emissions and economic performance is inverted U-shaped. Because of the presence of the EKC hypothesis, per capita carbon emissions (PCCE) increase until a certain level of GDP per capita is reached, at which point they begin to fall. Although trade has a negative impact on the environment, the uses of renewable energy and foreign direct investment have a positive impact. The speed of adjustment toward equilibrium of this estimation is 48%. The study concludes that the best way to reduce environmental degradation is to employ renewable energy, and environment-friendly business is required to maintain sustainable development in Bangladesh. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The program entitled "English in Action (EIA)", 9 year period DFID funded project in Bangladesh, was launched in 2008, for the desire to bring a change in the learning of English language. EIA works to reach a total of 25 million primary and secondary students and adult learners through communicative language learning techniques and the use of ICT, textbooks and supplementary materials in an innovative way. The project has been running, with the help of BBC World Service Trust and BBC Learning English, the program entitled "BBC Janala", an initiative that is providing English language lessons to citizens via their mobile phones as part of the wider English in Action program in Bangladesh. Survey research found that women are particularly interested in learning by mobile (especially given its "any time, any place" nature). That means, it is absolutely being implemented as a non-formal education (NFE) under the Open and Distance Learning (ODL) mode what is known as Open Non-formal Education (ONFE). BBC Janala allows Bangladeshis to access short (2-3 minute) audio lessons through a simple voice call by calling a four digit short code. The program has been a real challenge as it has the ability to address the need of students with an effective integration of ICT to support learning. This paper discusses how one increasingly ubiquitous ICT device--the mobile phone--has become increasingly relevant to learners in Bangladesh, in various ways and contexts.

This paper is aimed at exploring teachers' perceptions and practices of peer support in Bangladeshi primary schools. It also looks into the contrast between the perceptions and practices, and the underlying reasons behind such deviations. The study collects data from teachers who are undergoing a large-scale teacher development project called English in Action. The project provides face-to-face and distance learning support to the teachers, as well as promotes the idea of context-based learning through peer support in both primary and secondary schools in Bangladesh. This study adopted a mixed method approach. The quantitative part looks into teachers' perceptions and practices in regards to peer support. A close-ended questionnaire was used to understand the extent teachers feel peer support is important and their actual engagement with colleagues for the support activities. Qualitative methods including observations, focus group discussions, and interviews are used to identify the activities that teachers do together with their colleagues in a school and the barriers to such activities. The results show that, teachers define peer support in a specific way and consider it as very important for their professional development. However, their engagement in such activities is restricted by several factors.

Persons with disabilities in LMICs facing numerous challenges in accessing essential healthcare services. However, this understanding is lacking so far in LMICs and Bangladesh. This study aimed to explore the pattern and determinants of healthcare services access among persons with disabilities in Bangladesh. We analysed data from 4293 persons with disabilities extracted from the 2021 National Survey on Persons with Disabilities. The outcome variable was healthcare services access within three months of the survey, categorized as either "yes" or "no" based on perceived needs. Several individual, household, and community-level factors were considered as explanatory variables. We utilized a multilevel mixed-effect logistic regression model to explore the association of the outcome variable with explanatory variables. The analysis included stratification by age groups: 0–17 years and 18–95 years. One out of every four persons with disabilities in Bangladesh reported that they could not access healthcare services based on their needs within three months of the survey. The main reasons for not accessing services were healthcare costs (52.10%), followed by lack of family support (27.0%), and absence of healthcare facilities in their areas of residence (10.10%). Among those who did receive healthcare services, the majority reported accessing them from governmental hospitals (26.49%), followed by village practitioner (20.52%), and private healthcare centres (19.87%). There was a higher likelihood of accessing healthcare services among persons with disabilities residing in households with higher wealth quintiles and living in the Chattogram and Sylhet divisions. Unmarried or divorced/widowed/separated persons with disabilities reported lower likelihoods of accessing healthcare services. The findings of this study emphasize the need for policies and programs to ensure healthcare services for persons with disabilities in Bangladesh. This entails raising awareness about the importance of providing healthcare services for this demographic, as well as considering healthcare services as part of social safety net programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Bangladesh, okra is an important popular summer vegetable. However, traditional farming practices often lead to suboptimal yields. Thus, the study was designed to determine the ideal GA3 and NAA doses for accelerating okra growth, yield, and quality characteristics. A three-replication, randomized complete block design was adopted. Foliar sprays with three concentrations of GA3 (0 ppm, 150 ppm, and 250 ppm) and NAA (0 ppm, 150 ppm, and 250 ppm) were applied in 2022 and 2023. In comparison to the control, the combined application of GA3 @ 150 ppm and NAA @ 150 ppm improved plant height, leaf number, leaf area, branch number, internode length, bud number, pod number, pod length, pod diameter, and 1000 seed weight average over the two years. Furthermore, GA3 @ 150 ppm with NAA 150 ppm increased yield by 35.08% and 27.01% in 2022 and 2023 respectively, above the control. Combining NAA @ 150 ppm with GA3 resulted in higher levels of vitamin C, TSS, magnesium, and zinc by 19.31%, 81.2%, 22.73% and 21.43% in 2022 and 22.83%, 50.57%, 18.07%, 33.33% in 2023 respectively, compared to the control. In contrast, GA3 and NAA decreased potassium and calcium in both year when compared to the control. Overall, the results of this experiment indicated that using GA3 @ 150 ppm with NAA @ 150 ppm could enhance okra growth, yield, and quality. These findings provide insightful information for improving okra cultivation techniques and improving Bangladesh's productivity in agriculture and food security. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is an important zoonotic pathogen associated with a wide range of infections in humans and animals. Thus, the emergence of MRSA clones poses an important threat to human and animal health. This study is aimed at elucidating the genomics insights of a strong biofilm‐producing and multidrug‐resistant (MDR) S. aureus MTR_BAU_H1 strain through whole‐genome sequencing (WGS). The S. aureus MTR_BAU_H1 strain was isolated from food handlers' hand swabs in Bangladesh and phenotypically assessed for antimicrobial susceptibility and biofilm production assays. The isolate was further undergone to high throughput WGS and analysed using different bioinformatics tools to elucidate the genetic diversity, molecular epidemiology, sequence type (ST), antimicrobial resistance, and virulence gene distribution. Phenotypic analyses revealed that the S. aureus MTR_BAU_H1 strain is a strong biofilm‐former and carries both antimicrobial resistance (e.g., methicillin resistance; mecA, beta‐lactam resistance; blaZ and tetracycline resistance; tetC) and virulence (e.g., sea, tsst, and PVL) genes. The genome of the S. aureus MTR_BAU_H1 belonged to ST1930 that possessed three plasmid replicons (e.g., rep16, rep7c, and rep19), seven prophages, and two clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR) arrays of varying sizes. Phylogenetic analysis showed a close evolutionary relationship between the MTR_BAU_H1 genome and other MRSA clones of diverse hosts and demographics. The MTR_BAU_H1 genome harbours 42 antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs), 128 virulence genes, and 273 SEED subsystems coding for the metabolism of amino acids, carbohydrates, proteins, cofactors, vitamins, minerals, and lipids. This is the first‐ever WGS‐based study of a strong biofilm‐producing and MDR S. aureus strain isolated from human hand swabs in Bangladesh that unveils new information on the resistomes (ARGs and correlated mechanisms) and virulence potentials that might be linked to staphylococcal pathogenesis in both humans and animals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Controlling foodborne pathogens in buffalo milk is crucial for ensuring food safety. This study estimated the prevalence of nine target genes representing seven critical foodborne bacteria in milk and milk products, and identified factors associated with their presence in buffalo milk chain nodes in Bangladesh. One hundred and forty-three milk samples from bulk tank milk (n = 34), middlemen (n = 37), milk collection centers (n = 37), and milk product shops (n = 35) were collected and analyzed using RT-PCR. Escherichia (E.) coli, represented through yccT genes, was the most prevalent throughout the milk chain (81–97%). Chi-squared tests were performed to identify the potential risk factors associated with the presence of foodborne bacteria encoded for different genes. At the middleman level, the prevalence of E. coli was associated with the Mymensingh, Noakhali, and Bhola districts (P = 0.01). The prevalence of Listeria monocytogenes, represented through inlA genes, and Yersinia (Y.) enterocolitica, represented through yst genes, were the highest at the farm level (65–79%). The prevalence of both bacteria in bulk milk was associated with the Noakhali and Bhola districts (P < 0.05). The prevalence of Y. enterocolitica in bulk milk was also associated with late autumn and spring (P = 0.01) and was higher in buffalo-cow mixed milk than in pure buffalo milk at the milk collection center level (P < 0.01). The gene stx2 encoding for Shiga toxin-producing (STEC) E. coli was detected in 74% of the milk products. At the middleman level, the prevalence of STEC E. coli was associated with the use of cloths or tissues when drying milk containers (P = 0.01). Salmonella enterica, represented through the presence of invA gene, was most commonly detected (14%) at the milk collection center. The use of plastic milk containers was associated with a higher prevalence of Staphylococcus aureus, represented through htrA genes, at milk product shops (P < 0.05). These results suggest that raw milk consumers in Bangladesh are at risk if they purchase and consume unpasteurized milk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this multi-country, cluster-randomized trial is to test the impact of pharmacy-based health promotion to reduce the blood pressure of individuals with hypertension over a 12-month period in Bangladesh and Pakistan. The trial will be implemented with two arms. In Bangladesh, the estimated sample size is around 3600 hypertensive patients. In Pakistan, we will select samples equivalent to 10% of the participants from Bangladesh, comprising 360 hypertensive patients from four pharmacies. Community pharmacies will be randomized into one of two parallel groups (allocation ratio 1:1). Pharmacy professionals in the treatment arm will provide their patients with educational training and counseling, as well as phone calls/mobile text messages and care coordination in the health sector, as part of the intervention. The study will be conducted in three phases: a baseline survey with intervention, a midline survey with intervention and follow-up, and an endline survey with impact evaluation. The primary outcome of the study will be BP. The secondary outcomes will be BP controlled to target, treatment adherence, quality of life, mortality or hospital admission rates resulting from hypertension and its related complications, incremental cost per health-related quality of life gained, knowledge on healthy lifestyle and dietary behavior, and change in the prevalence of current smoking status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]