Areas Of Bangladesh Research Articles

Trend of 4+ Antenatal Care Visits by Rural Women in Bangladesh:

Abstract
 Antenatal Care (ANC) is one of the four pillars initiatives of the Safe Motherhood. Since MMR is high in rural areas of Bangladesh so to reduce MMR the uptake of ANC visit from trained provider is important. The objective of this study was to see the trends of 4+ ANC visit and identify the factors associated with the number of antenatal visits in rural areas.This study used the data generated from Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey (BDHS) 2004-2014 to observe the trends and factors associated of 4+ ANC visit. The results of bivariate and multivariate analyses confirm that divisions, wealth, education and media exposure had strong influence on rural women’s 4 + ANC visit. Result of logistic regression model shows that poor and less educated women of rural areas were less likely to seek 4+ ANC visit than urban areas. This outcome of the paper suggests that rural women economic status and education has significant effect on 4+ ANC visit. The findings will help to design appropriate strategies, programs and policies for the improvement of rural women’s maternal healthcare seeking behaviour.

Insights Into Excess Mortality During the First Months of the COVID-19 Pandemic From a Rural, Demographic Surveillance Site in Bangladesh.

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has spread globally, and the government of each affected country is publishing the number of deaths every day. This official figure is an underestimate as it excludes anybody who did not die in a hospital, who did not test positive, who had a false result, or those who recovered on their own without a test.Objective: This study aimed to measure the community level excess mortality using health and demographic surveillance in a rural area of Bangladesh.Method: The study was conducted in Matlab, in a rural area of Bangladesh, with a Health and Demographic Surveillance System (HDSS) covering a population of 239,030 individuals living in 54,823 households in 142 villages. We examined the mortality in January-April from 2015 to 2020 and compared the mortality in 2020 with the historical trend of 2015–2019. Between 2015 and 2020, we followed 276,868 people until migration or death, whichever occurred first. We analyzed mortality using crude mortality rate ratio (MRR) and adjusted MRR (aMRR) from a Cox proportional hazard model. Mortality was analyzed according to age, sex, and period.Results: During follow-up, 3,197 people died. The mortality rate per 1,000 person-years increased from 10 in 2019 to 12 in 2020. Excess mortality was observed among the elderly population (aged 65 years and above). The elderly mortality rate per 1,000 person-years increased from 80 in 2019 to 110 in 2020, and the aMRR was 1.40 (95% CI: 1.19–1.64). Although an increasing tendency in mortality was observed between 2015 and 2019, it was statistically insignificant.Conclusions: The study reported a 28% increase in excess deaths among the elderly population during the first months of the pandemic. This all-cause mortality estimation at the community level will urge policymakers, public health professionals, and researchers to further investigate the causes of death and the underlying reasons for excess deaths in the older age-group.

Flood vulnerability assessment using the triangular fuzzy number-based analytic hierarchy process and support vector machine model for the Belt and Road region

Flood is one of the most serious natural disasters in the world. Flood losses in the developing countries throughout the Belt and Road region are more than twice the global average. However, to date, the extent of the vulnerability of the Belt and Road region remains poorly understood. Therefore, this study sought to address this knowledge gap. In this study, we presented a vulnerability assessment model based on triangular fuzzy number-based analytic hierarchy process (TFN-AHP) and support vector machine (SVM) model. Firstly, a geospatial database including 11 flood conditioning factors was built. Secondly, the exposure and disaster reduction capability were calculated based on TFN-AHP and SVM, respectively. Finally, the spatial distribution of vulnerability throughout the Belt and Road region was generated. According to the results, the exposure and disaster reduction capability in most areas are extremely low, accounting for 86.45% and 80.53%, respectively. Meanwhile, the vulnerability of 47,105,300 km2 areas is low or extremely low, accounting for 93% of the Belt and Road region. The high-vulnerable areas (accounting for 3.54%) are primarily concentrated in the southern and eastern parts of China, northern India, most areas of Bangladesh, the Indus Valley in Pakistan, the Nile River Basin in Egypt, and the central region of Indonesia. Obviously, these regions with high vulnerability are characterized by frequent economic activities and dense populations. As suggested of these results, this study provides scientific and technological evidence for the prevention and mitigation of flood disasters in the countries along the Belt and Road region.

Examining local institutional networks for sustainable disaster management: Empirical evidence from the South-West coastal areas in Bangladesh

Local social networks are vital contributor to community resilience and recovery from disasters. We aim to assess how collaboration among local formal actors varies during different phases of disaster. We also identify the gaps in local institutional collaboration between policy and practice. The social network analysis is used to measure the network structure for coastal disaster management at the bottom level administrative (i.e., Union) in Bangladesh. We consider three disaster-prone locations in the southwest part of coastal Bangladesh. The following network matrices are used to quantify ties among the actors of the local disaster management committee: degree, betweenness, and eigenvector. The results reveal that the local committee members are highly active during the preparedness and the response phase. The network structure varies among studied locations due to multiple factors such as diverse leadership capacities of the actors, road network, and physical characteristics of the areas. Although Bangladesh is internationally acknowledged for disaster management activities, we find very poor collaboration among actors during the recovery and mitigation phase. The collaboration and coordination need to be enhanced during the recovery and mitigation phases for sustainable disaster management. The actual implementation of the disaster management policies is far behind what the policy documents indicate. Proper implementation of the roles and responsivities specified in the policy documents is therefore needed.

Adult death registration in Matlab, rural Bangladesh: completeness, correlates, and obstacles

Civil registration of vital events such as deaths and births is a key part of the process of securing rights and benefits for individuals worldwide. It also enables the production of vital statistics for local planning of social services. In many low- and lower-middle-income countries, however, civil registration and vital statistics (CRVS) systems do not adequately register significant numbers of births and, especially, deaths. In this study, we aim to estimate the completeness of adult death registration (for age 15 and older) in the Matlab health and demographic surveillance system (HDSS) area in Bangladesh and to identify reasons for (not) registering deaths in the national CRVS system. We conducted a sample survey of 2538 households and recorded 571 adult deaths that had occurred in the 3 years preceding the survey. Only 17% of these deaths were registered in the national CRVS system, with large gender differences in registration rates (male = 26% vs. female = 5%). Respondents who reported that a recent death in the household was registered indicated that the primary reasons for registration were to secure an inheritance and to access social services. The main reasons cited for not registering a death were lack of knowledge about CRVS and not perceiving the benefits of death registration. Information campaigns to raise awareness of death registration, as well as stronger incentives to register deaths, may be needed to improve the completeness of death registration in Bangladesh.

A Narrative Review on the Research Climate Change Impact: The Experience of the Coastal Areas of Bangladesh Affected by Cyclones Sidr and Aila

A Narrative Review on the Research Climate Change Impact: The Experience of the Coastal Areas of Bangladesh Affected by Cyclones Sidr and Aila

Temporal Variations of Condition Factor and Relative Weight For Mystus Gulio (Hamilton, 1822) From the Coastal Water in Bangladesh

The long whiskers catfish, Mystus gulio (Hamilton, 1822), is a valuable, delicious food fish in coastal areas of Bangladesh. It is found in fresh and brackish water of South Asian region. The present study illustrates the temporal variation of condition factor (KF) and prey-predator through relative weight (WR) along with length-weight relation (LWR) of M. gulio in the Maloncho River at southern Bangladesh. There were a total of 1200 individuals collected between January-December 2017 and October 2019 to June 2020. Different traditional gears (such as cast net, seine net, square lift net) were used for collecting the fish samples. There were 35% males and 65% females. The total length of fish ranged 7.8-18.3 cm for males and 9.3-22.1 cm for females. The body weight ranged 8.80–72.34 g for males and 8.09-128.82 g for females. LWR was significant with r2 value >0.950. The calculated co-efficient (b) were negative allometric growth in male and female (b<3.0, p<0.001). The KF indicated the best condition of this species. WR revealed no significant difference from 100 for both sex (p = 0.441) and females (p = 0.221), indicating a suitable habitat for growth. From conservation point of view, the findings of this present study on M. gulio will be helpful in Bangladesh (Maloncho River) and neighboring countries. J. Bio-Sci. 29(1): 111-122, 2021 (June)

Factors Associated with Physical Activity among People with Hypertension in a Rural Area in Bangladesh: Baseline Data from a Cluster Randomized Control Trial.

The health benefits of physical activity (PA) are well recognized, and PA levels vary in different populations. The study aimed to investigate PA levels and associated sociodemographic factors among people with hypertension in a rural area in Bangladesh. Baseline data were part of a cluster randomized controlled trial of 307 adults aged 30–75 years to study the effectiveness of PA and lifestyle changes in lowering blood pressure. The outcome variables were PA at work, commuter, recreation, metabolic equivalent task (MET)-minute per week and sitting time. Total 68 (22.1%) people participated in vigorous-intensity activity, 23 (7.5%) participated in moderate-intensity sports. Overall, 83% of people were physically active more than 600 MET-min. Women (OR 2.95, 95% CI, 1.36–6.39) compared to men, and people with no education (OR 4.47, 95% CI, 1.62–12.33) compared to people with secondary school certificates or above were less physically active. Of total PA, 63% were work-related, and 1% were recreation-related for women, and these figures were 55% and 3% for men. The study reports that vigorous-intensity PA is low, and recreation time is minimal. Routine PA, especially for women and people with low education levels, should be encouraged to increase PA to manage hypertension.

Comparative profitability analysis and resource use efficiency of beekeeping using wooden and poly hive in some selected areas of Bangladesh

Apiarist traditionally adopt wooden hive in beekeeping. Modern poly hive provides a superior environment to raise and keep the honeybee population more vigorous due to its high-tech internal facilities and sanitary system. This study was conducted to examine the comparative profitability and resource use efficiency of beekeeping using traditional wooden hive and modern poly hive in Bangladesh during 2017-18. A total of 60 beekeepers, all have traditional wooden hive and 15 have modern poly hive, were randomly selected from Sirajganj, Gazipur and Satkhira districts to conduct farm level survey with pre-tested questionnaire. Findings of the study reveal that per hive gross and net return were Tk. 11019.26 and 4082.45 for wooden hive and Tk. 27373.34 and 19838.42 for poly hive, respectively. Total cost of beekeeping was Tk. 6936.81 and 7534.92 per hive for wooden and poly hive, respectively. Besides, benefit-cost ratios (BCR) were 1.59 and 3.63 for wooden and poly hive, respectively. Cobb-Douglas production function analysis reveals that labour, transportation, insecticide, equipment, hive and rental costs had significant influence on the returns of beekeeping. More than two times higher BCR and significant positive dummy variable “modern poly hive” indicate the greater profitability of beekeeping in modern poly hives. Resource use efficiency analysis indicates that labour, insecticide, equipment, and honey extraction inputs were under-utilized while feed, transportation, marketing, hive, colony and rental inputs were over-utilized. Beekeeping is also affected by some constraints including high costs of modern poly hive accessories, lack of skilled labour and initial capital, inadequate transportation and marketing facilities. Government and other related organizations should take necessary measures to mitigate those problems. Based on the findings, it is recommended to adopt modern poly hive in beekeeping.
 Int. J. Agril. Res. Innov. Tech. 11(1): 84-91, June 2021

Incentivising doctor attendance in rural Bangladesh: a latent class analysis of a discrete choice experiment

ObjectiveDoctor absenteeism is widespread in Bangladesh, and the perspectives of the actors involved are insufficiently understood. This paper sought to elicit preferences of doctors over aspects of jobs in rural...

Population assessment of the endangered Western Hoolock Gibbon Hoolock hoolock Harlan, 1834 at Sheikh Jamal Inani National Park, Bangladesh, and conservation significance of this site for threatened wildlife species

Sheikh Jamal Inani National Park (Inani) is a wildlife habitat in Bangladesh located under the Cox’s Bazar South Forest Division, Cox’s Bazar. It constitutes significant habitat for the charismatic and globally ‘Endangered’ Western Hoolock Gibbon Hoolock hoolock in Bangladesh. Here, we show that Inani is a poorly-known gibbon habitat with a population of seven groups, comprising a total of 18 individuals. Among them, 77.8% were adults (males and females), and 11.1%, 5.6%, and 5.6% were sub-adults, juveniles, and infants, respectively, indicating low reproductive output. Five of seven groups had no offspring present in the group, and the mean group size of 2.57 individuals/group is low compared to other habitats in Bangladesh. Beside Western Hoolock Gibbon, Inani is home to many threatened wildlife species. The first record of the Slaty-backed Flycatcher Ficedula erithacus in Bangladesh occurred in Inani, adding this new species to the national bird checklist of Bangladesh. The presence of the globally ‘Endangered’ Asian Elephant Elephas maximus, Phayre’s Langur Trachypithecus phayrei, & Elongated Tortoise Indotestudo elongata and the globally ‘Vulnerable’ Northern Pig-tailed Macaque Macaca leonina, Capped Langur Trachypithecus pileatus, Indian Leopard Panthera pardus, & Asiatic Softshell Turtle Amyda cartilaginea highlight the importance of Inani as a conservation area in Bangladesh. The Western Hoolock Gibbon and other threatened wildlife of Inani are now on the verge of local extinction due to a sharp increase in forest resource extraction resulting from the recent influx of large numbers of Rohingya refugees from Myanmar, many of whom have settled around Inani. Through stakeholder interviews in the area, we have identified feasible and measurable conservation actions at Inani that are urgently needed to prevent further loss of wildlife and to protect this important gibbon habitat.

Detection of Vector Mosquito of Filariasis in the Endemic Areas of Bangladesh

Background: Lymphatic Filariasis (LF), a mosquito born tropical parasitic disease, caused by Wuchereria bancrofti is not only a health but also a socio-economic problem in Bangladesh. Culex quinquefasciatus is the confirmed filarial vector in Bangladesh, so by controlling of this vector population, we can prevent this disease. To control this vector and decrease incidence of filariasis, we need to know studied mosquito’s sample in endemic areas.
 Aim and objectives: Aim of this study was to see mosquito population in search of vector species in the endemic zones of malaria and filarial. Then we confirmed presence of vector species at molecular level by species specific DNA fingerprinting.
 Methods: This cross-sectional entomological study was carried out in Hobiganj (Shatchori tea garden) and Moulvibazar district (Patrokhola and Madonmohonpur tea gardens). Mosquito was collected by paper cup with net, aspirator and torch light and vector mosquitoes were identified with stereoscopic microscope. After identification of the mosquitoes, these were stored in laboratory for analysis of the density of the vector mosquitoes in the endemic areas. Then the vector mosquitoes were identified through molecular method named Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR).
 Result: 1427 female mosquitoes belonging to 28 species under 5 genera were collected from three tea gardens. Culex quinquefasciatus which is the confirmed filarial vector in Bangladesh was found high in number (20.74%) out of the total collected mosquitoes. Other mosquito’s species were found in various ratios. Then Culex quinquefasciatus vector was identified by PCR.
 Conclusion: As vector mosquitoes of LF are available in these tea gardens, the study concludes that these areas are highly LF endemic areas of Bangladesh. Through molecular method, the vector of LF can be identified certainly. As we identify the vector mosquito, thus we can prevent this LF disease at very early stage. So, these findings will be very beneficial and cost effective for a developing country like Bangladesh.

DNA barcoding and phylogenetic relationship of shrimps (Crustacea: Decapoda) of Bangladesh

We adopted DNA barcoding technique using a 658-bp fragment of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) gene to identify shrimp species collected from the different areas of Bangladesh. A total of 24 sequences were generated belonging to 14 species including four new records- Macrobrachium nipponense, Macrobrachium kistnense, Exopalaemon carinicauda and Alpheus malleator. Genetic distance measured with Kimura 2 parameter showed that genetic divergence increased with higher taxonomic rank. The mean genetic divergence was evaluated and found to be 0.935%, 22.67% and 30.92% within species, genus and family, respectively. In addition to the barcode-based species identification system, phylogenetic relationships were established where individuals belonging to the same species were grouped under the same clade. Maximum likelihood (ML) was preferred as the statistical method and as expected, the phylogenetic tree complemented and ensured the conventional taxonomy. The present study evidently showed that DNA barcoding can be served as an effective tool to discriminate the shrimp species and this will enhance the understanding on evolution and conservation biology.
 Bioresearch Commu. 7(1): 941-946, 2021 (January)

Floristic composition of Jahangirnagar University Campus - A semi-natural area of Bangladesh

This study represents comprehensive taxonomic information on current floristic composition in the semi-natural campus area of Jahangirnagar University. This study reveals that this campus area harbours a total of 917 species belonging to 574 genera and 145 families of vascular plants. 70.34% of these species are wild and the rest are cultivated/planted. 63.79% of the species are native and 36.21% are exotic to Bangladesh. Pteridophytes and Gymnosperms are represented by 22 and 12 species, respectively, whereas, Angiosperms by 883 species. Magnoliopsida (dicotyledons) and Liliopsida (monocotyledons) are composed of 618 and 265 species, respectively. The family Poaceae with 89 species is the largest, which is followed by Fabaceae with 44 species and Asteraceae with 40 species. Most of the species are herbs (56.16%) and growing in diverse habitats. All species are economically or ecologically important, but mostly as medicinal, ornamental, fodder and forage, fruit, vegetable, timber and fuel wood. The study area houses 15 plant species, previously listed as threatened to Bangladesh. Thus, the study area is floristically rich in respect to its number of plant species belonging to different groups and its size. This area might serve as a campus-based excellent center of biodiversity conservation by strengthening the existing management and adopting necessary policies and strategies.
 Bangladesh J. Plant Taxon. 28(1): 27-60, 2021 (June)

Application of stacking hybrid machine learning algorithms in delineating multi-type flooding in Bangladesh

Floods are among the most devastating natural hazards in Bangladesh. The country experiences multi-type floods (i.e., fluvial, flash, pluvial, and surge floods) every year. However, areas prone to multi-type floods have not yet been assessed on a national scale. Here, we used locally weighted linear regression (LWLR), random subspace (RSS), reduced error pruning tree (REPTree), random forest (RF), and M5P model tree algorithms in a hybrid ensemble to assess multi-type flood probabilities at a national scale in Bangladesh. We used historical flood data (1988–2020), remote sensing images (e.g., MODIS, Landsat 5–8, and Sentinel-1), and topography, hydrogeology, and environmental datasets to train and validate the proposed algorithms. According to the results, the stacking ensemble machine learning LWLR-RF algorithm performed better than the other algorithms in predicting flood probabilities, with R2 = 0.967–0.999, MAE = 0.022–0.117, RMSE = 0.029–0.148, RAE = 4.48–23.38%, and RRSE = 5.8829.69% for the training and testing datasets. Furthermore, true skill statistics (TSS: 0.929–0.967), corrected classified instances (CCI: 96.45–98.35), area under the curve (AUC: 0.983–0.997), and Gini coefficients (0.966–0.994) were computed to validate the constructed (LWLR-RF) multi-type flood probability maps. The maps constructed via the LWLR-RF algorithm revealed that the proportions of different categories of flooding areas in Bangladesh are fluvial flooding 1.50%, 5.71%, 12.66%, and 13.77% of the total land area; flash floods of 4.16%, 8.90%, 11.11%, and 5.07%; pluvial flooding: 5.72%, 3.25%, 5.07%, and 0.90%; and surge flooding, 1.69%, 1.04%, 0.52%, and 8.64% of the total land area, respectively. These percentages represent low, medium, high, and very high probabilities of flooding. The findings can guide future flood risk management and sustainable land-use planning in the study area.

Spatial Variability and Geostatistical Analysis of Soil Properties in the Diversified Cropping Regions of Bangladesh Using Geographic Information System Techniques

Mapping of soil properties is an important operation as it plays an important role in the knowledge about soil properties and how it can be used sustainably. The study was carried out in a local government area in Bangladesh in order to map out some soil properties and assess their variability within the area. From the study area, a total of 92 soil samples (0–20 cm) were collected from different cropping patterns at an interval of 2.2 × 2.2 km2 on a regular grid design. A portable global positioning system (GPS) was used to collect coordinates of each sampling site. Then, soil properties, that is, pH, electrical conductivity (EC), soil organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen (Total N), and soil available nutrients (P, K, and S) were measured in the laboratory. After the normalization of data, classical statistics were used to describe the soil properties, and geostatistical analysis was used to illustrate the spatial variability of the soil properties by using kriging interpolation techniques in a GIS environment. Results show that the spatial distribution and spatial dependency level of soil properties can be different even within the small or large scale. According to cross-validation results, for most soil properties, the kriging interpolation method provided the least interpolation error. The generated maps of soil properties that indicate soil nutrient status over the study region could be helpful for farmers and decision-makers to enhance site-specific nutrient management. Also, these prototype maps would be helpful for future nutrient and fertilizer applications management, including a site-specific condition to not only reduce the cost of input management but also prevent any environmental hazard. It also demonstrates that the effectiveness of geostatistics and GIS techniques provided a powerful tool for this study in terms of regionalized nutrient management.

Lessons from local indigenous climate adaptation practices: perceptions and evidence from coastal Bangladesh

ABSTRACT Lessons of local-scale climate change adaptations through indigenous techniques and knowledge practices (ITKPs) are imperative for climate adaptation policies. This study focused on the benefits of ITKPs and the potential of integrating them into climate adaptation and development activities through focus group discussions (FGDs) (n = 4) (involving persons over 18 years old, had recent disaster experience, and had lived at least 12 years in the area) and household surveys (n = 130) in the southern coastal areas of Bangladesh. We used household surveys to examine the importance of the ITKPs in terms of livelihood development and climate change adaptations, and qualitative syntheses of the FGDs information to reveal the causality of the ITKPs and development activities. Our study revealed that households perceived ITKPs to have higher economic security (64%), livelihood risk reduction (75%) and food security (62%). The majority of households (70%) in the agriculture profession perceived the higher economic potential of ITKPs, depending on the climate-adaptive co-benefits and taking into account their dependencies on climatic events. Agriculture dependent households who perceived the higher benefits of ITKPs were willing to pay 300 BDT/person/year for the improvement and restoration of those in the study areas. Our proposed DPSIR (driver, pressure, state, impact and response) framework implies the potentials of the incorporation of ITKPs into the national climate change adaptation policy in order to ensure sustainable climate change adaption for the coastal community of Bangladesh.

Fruit and vegetables consumption among school-going adolescents: Findings from the baseline survey of an intervention program in a semi-urban area of Dhaka, Bangladesh.

IntroductionInterventions aimed at promoting healthy eating habits in adolescence can help prevent chronic diseases and promote healthy ageing. The aim of this paper is to describe the fruit and vegetables consumption habits of adolescents in Dhaka, Bangladesh as well as to identify the socio-environmental, personal, and behavioral factors that influence these habits.Materials and methodsThe baseline data from an intervention study involving 823 grade ten students from two randomly selected secondary schools in a semi-urban area of Dhaka were analyzed. The intake of fruit and vegetables was measured in terms of serving size per day. Hierarchical multiple regression was used to assess the ability of socio-environmental factors such as social support, perceived barriers, and living with patient with chronic diseases; personal factors such as knowledge, self-rated practice, behavioral intention, and body mass index; and behavioral factors such as physical activity, sedentary hours, and sleep duration to predict the level of daily fruit and vegetables intake, after controlling the effect of demographic characteristics of adolescents.ResultsThe average daily consumption of fruit and vegetables was 1.22 and 1.99 servings, respectively. Only one-fifth of the respondents (21%) reported eating five servings of fruit and vegetables a day. Inaccessibility at home was reported as the most perceived barrier for both fruit and vegetables intake. Adolescents’ higher fruit and vegetables intake was found to be associated with higher maternal educational attainment, more social support, adequate self-rated practice, positive behavioral intention, higher body mass index, better physical activity, and adequate daily sleeping.ConclusionThe findings revealed insufficient fruit and vegetables intake among adolescents in a semi-urban area of Bangladesh and associated socio-environmental, personal, and behavioral factors that were utilized in developing an intervention program for this transient age group.Trial registrationTrial was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03975335) https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03975335 on June 01, 2019.

Seeking Shelter: The factors that influence refuge since Cyclone Gorky in the Coastal Area of Bangladesh

Considering damage and loss of lives, cyclones are the most severe natural disaster in Bangladesh. One of the most important cyclone mitigation measures is to temporarily evacuate the vulnerable population on receipt of warning and look after them by arranging shelters with adequate facilities. To ensure effective and efficient evacuation, it is important to better understand people's protective actions and hazard decision making. This paper provides an assessment of the factors associated with evacuation to cyclone shelters in coastal areas in Bangladesh over the past 30 years. It is based on the comparative study of Cyclone Amphan (2020) and three major historical cyclones: Gorky (1991), Sidr (2007) and Aila (2009). Primary data sources included surveys, focus group discussions, key informant interviews and formal and informal conversations; and secondary data sources included reports, policies and design documents. 210 participants from seven coastal districts severely affected by Cyclone Amphan are selected for the study. While substantial improvements in the disaster response infrastructure were made in the last three decades, shelter evacuation rates are still low. It was found that the majority of people are still taking a ‘wait-and-see’ approach mainly due to the fear of losing property. It was found that partial evacuation, observing environmental cues prior to evacuation and seeking refuge in neighbours' houses, is indirectly associated with the fear of losing property. There is also inadequate spatial distribution of cyclone shelters with minimal facilities. This study provides recommendations to intensify risk-based planning for cyclone shelters and gender-responsive efforts to ensure a safe environment for the community to seek refuge at shelters with proper planning at the community level.

Nonmotorized Commuting Behavior of Middle-Income Working Adults in a Developing Country

Although nonmotorized transport (NMT) offers economic, environmental, and health benefits to individuals and communities, understanding nonmotorized travel behavior is a challenging task due to complex interactions of a wide range of factors. While behavioral models offer a conceptual framework to understand human behavior, their use in the study of travel behavior in developing countries is still in its infancy. This study uses three behavioral models—the theory of planned behavior, the theory of triadic influence, and the ecological model of health behavior—to identify potential factors influencing intentions and behavior toward the use of NMT by middle-income working adults, inhabiting the Chittagong City Corporation (CCC) area of Bangladesh. A total of 720 middle-income working adults (aged between 18 and 65 years) were randomly selected and interviewed at major commercial and retail business areas of the CCC. Multiple linear and binary logistic models were developed to quantify the extent of the influence of different factors on nonmotorized mode choice behavior. Results indicated that personal factors (proximal) such as attitude, subjective norm, and behavioral control influence respondents’ intentions and motivation in choosing NMT. However, the current use of NMT was less controlled by intention, while factors associated with the social, cultural, and built environment had (distal) significant influence. The findings of this study could assist urban planners in adopting structural and nonstructural measures to promote NMT use.