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In the era of late modernity, individual vulnerability is affected by various threats and risks. Consequently, people need to be aware of these and fit in more than ever before. To help people become competent in this changing world and to prepare for future threats, academic institutions play a vital role. To understand such an academic role, a part of the literature has highlighted how a student can better learn emergency responses (ER) and crisis management (CM). Nevertheless, very little literature has focused on how a developing country’s students, particularly teenagers, learn and understand ER and CM. Focusing on such gaps in the literature, this study aims to understand a sample of Bangladeshi secondary students’ state of knowledge related to ER and CM. With the help of cluster sampling, the researcher distributed a survey among a sample of 360 students between 9th and 12th standard from two southern districts respectively Khulna and Noakhali, which are also disaster-prone areas of Bangladesh. Adopting Krathwohl’s model of knowledge typology, such as factual knowledge, conceptual knowledge, procedural knowledge, and metacognitive knowledge, the researcher collected and evaluated the data with descriptive statistics. The findings of this study show that even though most of the students are familiar with different ER- and CM-related keywords, they have limited deeper knowledge. Furthermore, there was a significant knowledge difference between the genders. Similarly, the lack of training in the academic environment also makes these young students vulnerable to any kind of threat from their surroundings that could affect the districts’ weak institutional and legislative structure. The scholarship of this study, which has policymakers and young academics as its possible audience, could assist them in raising the knowledge levels of students by adding new information to textbooks with illustrations and by setting up drills.

Study on cultural elements to reduce vulnerability become so popular in academia. Therefore, over the past few decades, research on the understanding relationship between religion, as a cultural element, and disaster management has also gotten its popularities. Nevertheless, how different religious aspects can influence people to shape up their disaster management strategies remains untold. To address this gap, adopting a mixed-method approach of data collection this study selected two most disaster-prone areas namely, Dacope Upazila and Koyra Upazila, of Khulna District in Bangladesh to collect primary data. The findings of this study reveal that in some areas religious institutions play a significant role through disseminating disaster-related news, providing social supports immediately after a disaster, and acting as a victim support center. Similarly, religious masters as well as other religious leaders have played a leadership role to bind people together. The findings of this study also indicate that the most important role of religion in disaster management was psychological. Besides, religion increase the capacity of community management through enhancing moral responsibilities. However, the lack of coordination of these potential cultural elements remains unused in the field of disaster management. Therefore, through this study, the researcher would like to call upon policymakers' attention to integrating religious elements with other disaster risk reduction elements.

Aims: This study aimed to know the knowledge level and perception of the farmers regarding the use and impact of agrochemical and to find out the correlation of knowledge level and pesticide use with their age, education, farm size, number of pesticide use. Place and Duration of Study: The study was carried out in the Chittagong District of Bangladesh in four different unions of Sitakunda Upazilla between May 2018 and June 2018. Methodology: We surveyed 142 farmer households from nine villages of three unions, selected through multistage purposive random sampling. They were interviewed through a semi-structured questionnaire. A key informant survey was done by interviewing Upazila agriculture officers and agrochemical retailers. Results: No overuse of fertilizer and pesticide were found. Findings showed that 66.2% of farmers were medium knowledgeable, with 14.79% low and 19.01% high knowledgeable. Applications of obsolete pesticides were found to be used. Farmers’ knowledge level is significantly correlated with the education level and the number of pesticide uses. Conclusion: There was a gap between amounts of fertilizer applied than the recommended level except for gypsum. Most of them did not know the standard application rate of fertilizer and pesticide. Farmers’ knowledge level should be improved and the adoption of rational use of agrochemicals is needed through extension activity to get proper yield and to inform them of precautionary measures.

Being the only tidal river where major Indian carps spawn naturally, Halda is a unique heritage of Bangladesh and the surroundings of this river undergo chronological changes because of rapid urbanization, anthropogenic and socioeconomic activities. In this study, an attempt has been made to analyze Land use/land cover change (LULCC) of Halda Watershed over the last 40 years using multispectral satellite data obtained from Landsat 2 MSS for April 15, 1978; Landsat 5 TM for February 26, 1999 and Landsat 8 OLI/TIRS for May 2, 2017. The watershed has been classified into five major land cover/use classes viz. Agriculture, Bare soil, Settlements, Vegetation and Water Body. Resultant LULC and overlay maps indicate a significant shift from Vegetation (35.1%) and Water class (85.47%) to Agriculture, Bare soil and Settlements. This study envisages to facilitate policy makers, planners and other associated development workers to adopt the best suitable land-use management option for Halda Watershed. Keywords: Halda river, Watershed delineation, Land use/land cover change (LULCC), Geographic Information System (GIS)

Structural composition based on diameter and height class distribution of the tree species of Dudhpukuria-Dhopachori Wildlife Sanctuary, Chittagong, Bangladesh was assessed. A total of 183 tree species having ≥ 10 DBH belonging to 125 genera and 48 families was recorded from the study area. Different species were found to dominate in different DBH classes, i.e. Aporosa wallichii (4.06%), Artocarpus chama (1.54%) and Dillenia pentagyna (0.38%) dominated 10 - < 25 cm, 25 - < 40 cm and 40 - < 55 cm DBH, respectively. Swintonia floribunda was found in maximum (7 out of 8) number of DBH classes. Both the percentage of tree individuals (73.18%) and number of species (169) were highest in 10-24.5cm DBH range. Similarly, Dipterocarpus turbinatus (14.5-24.4m and 24.5-34.4m) and Swintonia floribunda (34.5-44.4m and 44.5-54.4m) were dominant in two height ranges each. On the other hand, height range 4.5 - 14.4 m was dominated by Aporosa wallichii (4.36%). Dipterocarpus costatus, Artocarpus chama, Syzygium firmum and Bombax insigne were found in all the height classes. Both the number of tree species and number of individual stems (167 species; 1,684 individuals) were highest in the height range of 4.5-14.4m. The number of species and tree individuals decreased linearly with increasing height. All these indicate that, there was a sustainable natural regeneration and successful recruitment of Aporosa wallichii , Dipterocarpus turbinatus , Lithocarpus acuminata , Grewia nervosa and Artocarpus chama in Dudhpukuria-Dhopachori Wildlife Sanctuary. Dipterocarpus turbinatus was found as dominant species as it constitures maximum (5.56%) percentage of all tree individuals. The findings of the study may be useful for protection, conservation and sustainable management of Dudhpukuria-Dhopachori Wildlife Sanctuary. J. Biodivers. Conserv. Bioresour. Manag. 2017, 3(1): 17-30

Halda River originated and ends inside Bangladesh, is a unique natural carp spawning habitat that underwent a massive channel modification, intensive land use and land cover changes across its basin both in the upstream and downstream area over the decades. The carp fish breeding habited is heavily disturbed that marked by a significant reduction in fish spawning in recent years. The fish habitat of this river is reported as critically endangered in many studies. However, these problems are not studied in a hydrological perspective apart from fish spawning characterization and water quality nexus. We have studied the flow regime of the catchment for different seasons and its effects on water quality, siltation, and erosion of this river at 12 cross-sections at the upper course and middle course. Water level and discharge data that are available from the regulatory authority, Bangladesh Water Development Board for the last 40 years at an upstream cross-section and rainfall data at 4 stations of the catchment were studied and integrated to understand nutrient load using QSWAT. The upstream-downstream linkage is heavily regulated followed by the construction of an earthen dam and rubber dam on its major tributaries at upstream for irrigation to the agricultural land that was revealed from this study and field visits. Moreover, basin land-use and land-cover change would have a significant contribution to sediment dynamics eventually causing siltation and erosion in downstream cross-section. The increase in agricultural land that altered forest vegetation would affect runoff characteristics and water quality. We have reported that the change in sediment load and siltation in its downstream and at different hydraulic structure points (here sluice gate, irrigation canals, and embankments) would be attributed to land-use change and flow regulation. This study reports the relationship to the hydraulic response viz. discharge, the water level of this river system to the catchment land use and siltation. Floods are more likely to occur in the downstream region compared to the upstream region in the same hydro-meteorological regime in this basin as it revealed from the river section changes over time.

The ecosystem services provided by the Bangladesh Sundarbans contribute in various sectors especially to the livelihood of the surrounding peoples, but they are often overlooked in the valuation process. This study investigates the significance of ecosystem services on peoples’ lives and how these services are affected by climate change and other factors. Here an economic valuation framework was used to list the ecosystem services provided by this mangrove forest. Direct uses included timber, golpata (Nypa fruticans), honey, beeswax, fish, shrimp larvae and tourism. Indirect uses included carbon storage, protection from cyclones and tidal surges, breeding and nursery grounds for the aquatic species, and biodiversity conservation. This work also found that the ecosystem services were diminished by fresh water flow reduction, overharvesting, sea level rise, salinity increase, poaching, and climate change. In the present context and future scenario, sea level rise will be an important contributor to changes in ecosystem services. But because many factors impact sea level rise, the impact of climate change takes on less importance than many other causes of ecosystem service degradation in the Bangladesh Sundarbans.

Background: At present, only a limited amount of documentation exists that shed light on aspects of plants used by Traditional Healers (THs) in Bangladesh for treating general ailments. The current study is concerned with information on medicinal plants (MPs) used in Traditional Medicine (TM) by the Khumi, Marma and Tripura communities of Bangladesh. Aims: The study attempted to collect, analyze and evaluate Traditional Knowledge (TK) of the healing powers of plants used in TM in Thanchi upazila during August 2011 to January 2013; and to classify as far as possible the plants encountered in the study. Methodology: Semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect information through Focused Group Discussions (FGD) and one to one discussions with the selected indigenous

An assessment of Marsh crocodile’s (Crocodylus palustris LESSON, 1831) habitat, its feasibility in supporting the total population, feeding, hatching difficulty and variations in egg and clutch size of Marsh crocodile were carried out in Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Safari Park for one year (July 2010 to June 2011). Major problem identified was the breeding failure, i.e. till now no hatching were found. Mainly two local weather variables (average temperature and humidity) were identified as the most obstructing parameters. Higher temperature (average 37.03 o C) and Lower Humidity (average 75.33%) in comparison with standard range of incubation temperature and humidity for Marsh crocodile were seems to be vital reason for the failure of hatching. Understanding of the identified problem of this paper can direct the wildlife conservationist and the policy maker to take proper action for conserving the Marsh Crocodile in Bangladesh.

An explanatory survey was conducted to assess preference and consumption pattern of horticultural species, their sources, location-wise planting preferences and diversity of these species in the rural homestead forest of the offshore island of Bangladesh. Assessment was done through multistage random sampling. Based on homestead size respondents were categorized into small (0.25 ha) and twenty from each category were selected randomly for the study. The study revealed that most of the farmer (75.5%) preferred to plant fruit tree species for future plantation followed by timber species (62.2%). But fruit-bearing plants were being gradually replaced by some exotic timber species such as Swietenia mahagoni, Acacia auriculiformis, Tectona grandis, Eucalyptus spp., etc. Diversity and abundance of fruit species was found higher in almost all homestead. A total of 41 horticultural species were identified and seven horticultural species among them were recognized as the most preferred ones in the study area. Consumption pattern was chiefly to meet the nutritional demand and to gain a quick monetary benefit. Average annual income from horticultural species was 7,183.33 Taka (US$102).

An explanatory survey was conducted to assess the contribution of plant diversity to the ecological and socio-economic condition of the rural household in the offshore island of Bangladesh. Assessment was done by means of multistage random sampling. The homestead sizes of the study area were classified into 3 groups viz, large (>0.25 ha), medium (0.05–0.25 ha) and small (

Solid waste disposal and management became one of the major environmental concerns in Bangladesh. Realising the problem, the present study has been undertaken with a view to find a sound and effective way of bio-degradable solid waste management. The study was carried out in the nursery of Institute of Forestry and Environmental Sciences at University of Chittagong to determine the effects of solid waste and waste inoculated with mycorrhizal soil on initial growth performance of Acacia auriculiformis and Cedrela toona. Before planting the seedlings, decomposable waste and mycorrhiza inoculated decomposable waste were placed on the planting holes. Physical growth parameters of seedlings (shoot and root length, leaf and branch number, fresh and dry weight of shoot and root and nodulation status) and the macro nutrients (N, P and K) were recorded after six months of planting. The highest performance of physical parameters was recorded in the soil treated by mycorrhiza inoculated waste. Cedrela toona was represented by maximum nutrients uptake (N-2.60%, P-0.21% and K-2.34% respectively) in the soil treated with mycorrhiza. In case of Acacia auriculiformis, N uptake was maximum (3.02%) in control while K uptake was highest (1.27%) in soil with waste and P (0.18%) uptake was highest in the soil treated with mycorrhiza inoculated waste. Highest initial growth performance was revealed by seedlings treated with mycorrhiza inoculated waste. This study suggested to use mycorrhiza and waste for plantation purposes for hygienic disposal of solid waste and to reduce cost of cultivation.

The recreational behaviour of visitors to Karamjal Forest Station in Sundarban, Bangladesh, was determined by interviewing 150 visitors. The majority of visitors were locals from Bangladesh (90%); however, recreational behaviour varied significantly between local and foreign visitors. More than half of the visitors reported coming to Sundarban for the first time. Most of the visitors were travelling for recreation and derived satisfaction from watching wildlife, particularly deer and crocodiles, and the beauty of the forest. Foreign visitors expressed more satisfaction with boat journeys than local visitors, while less educated visitors expressed more dissatisfaction with boat travel than highly educated visitors. To the question, ‘How would you describe the quality of the recreational benefits of nature-based tourism in Karamjal?’ most visitors answered “poor” or “very poor”. Visitor perception varied significantly by income level, and people of higher financial status were more satisfied than people of lower financial status with the recreational benefits of nature-based tourism in Karamjal.

Based on contrasting properties, sewage sludge can be co-recycled in order to take simultaneously the best profit and minimise environmental pollution. The present study was conducted to assess the physical and chemical properties of sewage sludge generated from different sources in the commercial capital of Bangladesh and on the basis of these characteristics a variety of ways had been fixed to seek out its potential uses. Presence of plant nutrients and organic matter in sufficient quantities, make sludge disposal on land an attractive option. Nitrogen has received most attention and it is normally the most abundant sludge nutrient. The other two prime nutrients phosphorus and potassium content in sewage found significantly higher than the normal soil. To inquire the possible utilisation the growth performance of one tree species was tested in an experiment using the sewage sludge and normal soil and found significant positive growth variation in sewage application compare to the normal soil.

An experiment was conducted for two months in a recirculatory system consisting 12 glass aquaria (size 41× 41 × 46 cm) to evaluate the effects of substrates on the growth and survival of Macribrachium rosenbergii postlarvae (PL). Treatment T 1 having no substrate was considered as the control. Treatment T 2 contained pieces of hollow PVC pipe, treatment T 3 and T 4 were provided with high density polyethylene (HDPE) and black nylon netting, respectively. Each treatment had three replicates. PL-15 of M. rosenbergii (mean initial length 1.20 ± 0.02 cm; mean initial weight 27 ± 0.02 mg) were stocked at the rate of 75 PLs (1.25 PL L -1 ) in each aquarium. At the beginning PLs were fed three times daily at the rate of 20% of their body weight which was reduced to 10% at the start of 2nd month. The ranges of water quality parameters recorded in different treatments were: temperature 26 - 29°C; dissolved oxygen 6.2 - 8.1 mg L -1 ; pH 6.8 - 8.1 and total ammonia 0.01 - 0.15 mg L -1 . The result of the study showed that there was no significant difference (P > 0.05) in final length of PLs between treatments T 3 (HDPE netting) and T 4 (nylon netting) but these values were significantly higher than those in T 1 (control). There was no significant difference (P > 0.05) in final weight and specific growth rates (SGR) of PLs in treatments T 3 and T 4 but these values were significantly higher than those in T 2 (PVC pipe) and T 1 (control). Final weights of PLs were 32.70%, 31.54% and 21.05% higher in treatments T 3 , T 4 and T 2 respectively than T 1 (without substrate). The FCR values ranged between 1.85 and 1.88. There was no significant difference (P > 0.05) between the survival of PLs which ranged between 80.33 and 83.00%. Result of the study indicated that growth of M. rosenbergii PLs improved in presence of artificial substrates but the artificial substrates did not improved survival. HDPE and nylon netting gave the best results compared to PVC pipes and control treatments in terms of growth and feed efficiency. Therefore, use of HDPE or nylon netting may be recommended as substrate for successful nursing of M. rosenbergii PLs. However, further studies using different substrates should be carried out in nursery ponds to ascertain the usefulness of these substrates for nursing of M. rosenbergii PLs. Keywords: Nursery rearing; Freshwater prawn; Postlarvae; Artificial substrates DOI: 10.3329/jbau.v8i2.7946 J. Bangladesh Agril. Univ. 8(2): 333-340, 2010