Bangladeshi Taka Research Articles

Incidence of Benzodiazepine Use and Misuse Among Adults in Selected Areas of Bangladesh

Background: Benzodiazepines (BDZ) are widely prescribed for anxiety and insomnia in Bangladesh, but their misuse has become a major public health concern. Objective: The aim of this study was to identify the incidence and patterns of use and misuse of BDZ in Bangladesh, and to explore the factors contributing to their misuse. Methodology: A cross-sectional study, including 368 current BDZ users, was conducted in the department of Pharmacology, Monno Medical College, Manikganj, during January, 2021 to December, 2022. The participants were selected randomly. Structured questionnaires were used to include participants’ personal information, drug use characteristics, physiological and psychological effects of drugs usage. Verbal consent was taken from each of the respondents. Results: In this study, 268(72.83%) of the participants were male, where 157(42.66%) were from the age group 31-40 years and 139(37.77%) were single. Among the study population, 51(13.86%) were students, 79(21.47%) had monthly family income above 50,000 Bangladeshi taka. Many of the participants reported that they used BDZs to relieve stress/pressure (108, 29.35%), followed by 95(25.82%) to manage insomnia, 79(21.47%) for relieving anxiety, depression and to get pleasure and others The mostly used drug was clonazepam (112, 30.43%), followed by diazepam (108, 29.35%) and others. Most of the users were influenced by friends (115, 31.25%). The common side effects of using BDZs were confusion (47, 12.77%), fatigue (45, 12.22%), drowsiness (37, 10.05%), and others. The mostly experienced withdrawal effect was headache (86, 23.28%), followed by insomnia (59, 16.25%), confusion (50, 13.48%) and others. Conclusion: BZDs were widely used in selected areas of Bangladesh with high incidence of misuse. The most common reason of misuse was self-medication. Increasing awareness program should be taken for safe and effective use of the drug. Journal of Monno Medical College December, 2023; 9 (2):68-72

Assessing the economic viability and factors affecting farmer adoption of black soldier fly larvae as broiler feed in Bangladesh: a comparative analysis

Despite its impressive economic growth, Bangladesh faces a persistent malnutrition challenge, costing over US$1 billion annually. The broiler industry plays a vital role in addressing nutritional needs by providing essential protein through meat and eggs. However, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in this sector struggle with high feed prices, impacting their profitability and growth. Black Soldier Fly Larvae (BSFL) offers a sustainable and cost-effective alternative to conventional poultry feed, addressing both rising costs and environmental impacts. This study examined different aspects of BSFL, such as broiler feed, and farmers' perceptions of them in some selected areas of the Sylhet region of Bangladesh. A total of 60 respondents from three subdistricts in Sylhet district were selected using the purposive sampling technique. Data were analyzed through descriptive statistics, discriminative power value, binary logistic regression model, and profitability equation. Among the respondents, 70% (42) had a favorable attitude toward BSFL, and 30% (18) had a highly favorable attitude towards BSFL. Among eight socioeconomic attributes examined for the likeliness of adopting BSFL as broiler feed, the respondents' average income (p < 0.01), years of schooling (p < 0.05), and years of broiler farming experience (p < 0.01) were found to be significant. Further, farms using 50% BSFL and 50% traditional feed had a net return of BDT (Bangladeshi Taka) 35,045.67 (USD 419.71), higher than those using traditional feed, which had a net return of BDT 29670.67 (USD 355.38). Further, farms using 50% BSFL and 50% traditional feed had a benefit–cost ratio (BCR) of 1.16, compared to other farms with a BCR of 1.11. The study also found some problems causing slow growth in the adoption rate of BSFL in the study region, such as lack of training programs, extension campaigns, the uncertainty of input supply, and financial assistance. The study suggests making adequate measures to raise awareness about the profitability of BSFL as broiler feed, conducting training at the root level, and making inputs easily available to farmers.

Design analysis and techno-economic assessment of a photovoltaic-fed electric vehicle charging station at Dhaka-Mawa expressway in Bangladesh

Electric vehicles are crucial for sustainable transport and energy solutions, particularly in developing countries like Bangladesh where their popularity is rising. This study primarily focuses on the techno-economic design of a 300 kWp solar photovoltaic-powered electric vehicle charging station along the Dhaka-Mawa Expressway in Bangladesh, capable of charging 20 electric vehicles simultaneously. The design utilizes the commercially available software package PVsyst 7.2 to ensure the feasibility and efficiency of the charging infrastructure. The use of solar photovoltaics for electric vehicle charging, compared to traditional grid-based methods, offers substantial environmental benefits, including significant reductions in carbon emissions. This shift is driven by decreasing costs, improved module efficiencies, and increased environmental awareness. The estimated levelized cost of energy is calculated at 7.1556 BDT/kWh (BDT is Bangladeshi Taka), with an annual energy generation cost of 1436285.32 BDT. Over a projected lifespan of 25 years, the system is expected to replace 8065 tons of CO2 emissions with its own emissions totaling 537.56 tons, resulting in a net decrease of 6460.2 tons of CO2. This approach not only aligns with Bangladesh’s emission reduction goals but also exemplifies the potential for solar photovoltaic systems to enhance sustainability in transportation. It also emphasizes the importance of integrating renewable energy sources into the electric vehicle-based infrastructure to achieve true sustainability and supports the country’s commitment to combating climate change through technological innovation.

PRESENT SCENARIO OF LIVESTOCK BREEDING AND MANAGEMENT PRACTICES IN THE NORTHERN PART OF BANGLADESH

&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Background: &lt;/strong&gt;Bangladesh has a rich heritage of livestock rearing. The management and breeding practices differ across the country. &lt;strong&gt;Objectives:&lt;/strong&gt; To study the present scenario of breeding and management practices of livestock at northern Teesta river basin based Lalmonirhat district in Bangladesh. &lt;strong&gt;Methodology: &lt;/strong&gt;Total 100 farmers were selected using random sampling technique from 5 upazilas of Lalmonirhat district during July to December, 2022. Data were analyzed using SPSS 23.0 statistical package. &lt;strong&gt;Results: &lt;/strong&gt;Results showed that most of the farmers (65%) at the northern part of Bangladesh were middle-aged, 41% of them completed secondary education, and their occupation was mainly agriculture (55%). About 37.78% of respondents supplied roadside grass as roughage to their livestock. Maximum number of respondents (60.24%) supplied hand mixed feed as a source of concentrate whereas 39.76% of respondents used commercial feed. 96% of farmers practiced artificial insemination to inseminate their cows and heifers while in goat nearly all respondent farmers (98.41%) practiced natural mating. Among the breeding companies, 41.41% farmers preferred semen from the Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee (BRAC), followed by Advanced Chemical Industries (ACI) (30.30%), Government (Department of Livestock Services (DLS) (22.22%), and others (6.07%). About 41.76% respondents used 50% Sahiwal - 50% local genotype bull to breed the cows whereas 23.08% respondents used 100% Sahiwal, 18.68% used 75% Holstein Friesian-25% local, 5.49% used 100% Holstein Friesian, 3.30% used 50% Holstein Friesian-50% Local and only 3.30% used 87.5% Holstein Friesian-12.5% Local genotype bull semen, respectively.&lt;strong&gt; &lt;/strong&gt;On the other hand, most of the farmers (98.41%) chosen Black Bengal breeding buck during breeding and remaining used crossbred (Black Bengal Goat- Jamunapari) to breed their does. The actual price of bull semen from Govt. (DLS) was 30 Bangladeshi Taka (BDT) on average for all the breeds whereas, the price ranged 110-200 BDT depending on cattle breeds and bull/bucks Identification (ID) in different private enterprises. Farmers had to pay on an average&lt;strong&gt; &lt;/strong&gt;181.18 BDT for DLS originated semen in addition to that BRAC Artificial Insemination (AI) workers took an average of 425.61 BDT from farmers to inseminate their cows. The average milk yield/d was 1.82±0.14, 3.35±0.40, and 2.74±0.27 liters for local, HF crossbred and Sahiwal crossbred respectively in that region. The prevalence of repeat breeding incidences was 13.74%, 14.21%, and 15.17%, for Local, Sahiwal crossbred, and Holstein Friesian crossbred genotypes respectively. The highest incidence of disease was found as Lumpy Skin Disease (14.67%) followed by Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) (11.98%) and other parasitic and metabolic diseases. In the study area, it was found that maximum number of the respondents (95%) faced excessive feed price problem along with some other problems. &lt;strong&gt;Implications: &lt;/strong&gt;Government intervention is necessary to improve the situation of livestock production in the country. &lt;strong&gt;Conclusion:&lt;/strong&gt; This study showed the overall scenario of livestock production, breeding, and management in the northern part of Bangladesh which could be helpful for the govt., Non-governmental organizations (NGO’s) and policymakers to take realistic steps for the improvement of livestock production in the northern part of Bangladesh.&lt;/p&gt;

Cognitive Function in Urban and Rural Postmenopausal Women.

Menopause is a well-known risk factor for decreasing cognitive function in women. Postmenopausal women are increasing in number but relevant studies are very scarce. This study compared the cognitive function between urban and rural postmenopausal women and assessed the influence of socio-demographic factors on cognitive function. The aim of the study was to assess the association between the cognitive function of urban and rural postmenopausal women. This comparative cross-sectional study was conducted among 87 urban and 87 rural postmenopausal women who were selected by purposive sampling method from the Nakhalpara and Dhamrai area of Dhaka district during the period from January to December 2020. Data were collected with a semi-structured questionnaire based on the Bengali version of the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scale through face-to-face interviews and record reviewing with a checklist. Statistical analyses of the results were obtained using Microsoft Excel (Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, WA) and SPSS version 24 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY). The mean age of postmenopausal women was 58.09 ± 8.163years in urban areas and 60.00 ± 7.562years in rural areas. The majority (31, 35.6%) of urban women were primary school pass whereas 58 (66.7%) rural women were illiterate. The mean family income of the women was 43022.99 ± 10992.57 Bangladeshi taka (BDT) in the urban group and 14022.99 ± 5023.14 BDTin the rural group. The study revealed that 31 (35.6%) women in the urban group and 53 (60.9%) women in the rural group had abnormal cognitive function. The percentage of abnormal cognitive function was higher in rural postmenopausal women. Cognitive function has an association with monthly family income, housing condition, family type, age at the time of marriage, lifestyle, and co-morbidities. Policymakers can take the findings as a guide to formulate policies and programs for the improvement of cognitive function of postmenopausal women.

A Study on Supply Chain Analysis and Marketing Margin of Catfish Seed in Mymensingh District, Bangladesh

Aims: This study examined the supply chain and marketing margin of catfish seed in selected areas of the Mymensingh district. The objectives include analyzing supply chain management, marketing margins of catfish seed production, and identifying the challenges in production and marketing systems. Study Design: This study used a quantitative approach with a questionnaire data collection method. Place and Duration of Study: Samples were taken from four upazilas of Mymensingh district- Gouripur, Trishal, Mymensingh Sadar, and Muktagacha. Data was collected through face-to-face interviews between mid-September and mid-October in 2019. Methodology: The sample size was 120 including 30 catfish seed farmers, 30 paikers, 30 wholesalers, and 30 retailers. This study employed supply chain analysis, net return and net marketing margin analysis, and descriptive statistics. Results: The study found that retailers had the highest net marketing margin of 1664 Bangladeshi Taka (Tk.) (15.21 US Dollars) for 10 kg spawn, while paikers earned the highest margin of Tk. 11148 (101.93 US Dollars) for 100,000 pieces of fingerling. The annual net return per acre from spawn production in hatcheries was Tk. 9,469,097 (86580.71 US Dollars), and from fingerling production in nurseries was Tk. 455,783 (4167.45 US Dollars). Conclusion: The research indicated that catfish seed farms with hatcheries were more profitable than those with nurseries. Hatchery owners, nursery owners, and traders faced significant problems in their operations, such as a lack of information on quality seed, higher input prices and price fluctuations, non-availability of various inputs, and poor communication systems. Based on the result, recommendations were made to support the development of catfish seed farms and traders as a promising sector in agribusiness.

Effects of Macroeconomic Variables on the Performance of Mutual Funds: Evidence from Bangladesh Financial Market

Using multiple regression analysis in this research paper, this is examined that these macroeconomic variables (Money Supply-M2, Inflation Rates and Exchange Rates) have significant relationships with the performance of mutual funds (represented by monthly return based on NAV) in Bangladesh. According to this project paper, money supply M2 has negative relationship with the performance of mutual funds in the financial market of Bangladesh. Because, higher level of money supply in the market weaken the monetary value of taka which makes the market more vulnerable. And this vulnerable market leads a negative impact on the whole financial market as well as mutual fund industry. Interest rates have positive relationship with the performance of mutual funds in the financial market of Bangladesh because higher level of interest rate increases the tendency of savings in the ultimate consumers and they try to consume less and save more. This savings is going to be invested in the capital market as well as in mutual fund industry which leads the market to a better position for the fund managers. Inflation rates have negative relationship with the performance of mutual funds in the financial market of Bangladesh as the higher level of inflation make the price of commodities higher and the monetary price of the taka lower. This tendency of making the less value of money, most of the investors want to withdraw their investment from the market which leads a downturn in the financial market as well as in the mutual fund industry. At the end, exchange rates have positive relationship with the performance of mutual funds as the higher level of exchange rate makes the Bangladeshi taka more powerful in the international market.

Valuation of salinity-free drinking water in Anowara Upazilla (sub-district) under Chattogram district of Bangladesh

The current issue of high salinity in drinking water within the climate-vulnerable coastal regions of Bangladesh has become a significant cause for concern. This is due to the increasing prevalence of hypertension, diarrhea, and skin illnesses among the population residing in the southeastern coastal districts of Bangladesh. The necessity of establishing a drinking water supply system that is free from salinity for the people of the southeastern coastal region of Bangladesh is indisputable. It is crucial to assess the value of saline-free drinking water in order to provide useful information to policymakers and implementers regarding the willingness of the population to pay for such a service. The objective of this study is to estimate the Willingness To Pay (WTP) of people of Anowara Upazilla, a coastal sub-district of Chattogram district of Bangladesh for salinity-free drinking water supply. A cross-sectional study design was used to estimate the value of salinity-free drinking water in Anowara Upazilla of Chattogram by using the Contingent Valuation Method (CVM). A Systematic sampling method was employed to survey 410 households from six salinity affected unions of Anowara with structured questionnaire. This study additionally applied binary logistic regression model to identify the significant factors that influenced the WTP of the people for receiving salinity-free drinking water. The findings of this study revealed that 69% of the surveyed population from six salinity-affected unions of Anowara was willing to get salinity-free drinking water. The estimated mean WTP for salinity-free drinking water was BDT 222.50 per month per family. The logistic regression analysis revealed that household income higher than Bangladeshi Taka (BDT) 18,000 per month (p-value: 0.022), perceiving water salinity level as moderate (p-value: 0.002) by the respondent and family size with five members (p-value: 0.046) in the household were the statistically significant factors that influenced the overall WTP of the respondents. Moreover, most respondents preferred to have salinity-free drinking water supplied to their households through the piped network. The estimated aggregated WTP was BDT 6,228,887.50, which indicates that government intervention to supply salinity-free drinking water in Anowara Upazilla will be financially feasible if the project cost remains less or equal to the aggregated WTP. The findings of the study will be useful to the environmental practitioners of Bangladesh.

Federal Reserve’s Influence Over the Bangladeshi Taka

This paper investigates the relationship between the Bangladeshi Taka (BDT) and the U.S. Federal Reserve's monetary policy, particularly the impact of changes in the U.S. Effective Federal Funds Rate (EFFR) on the Taka's valuation. Despite Bangladesh's steady economic growth from 2003 to 2023, the Taka consistently depreciated against the U.S. Dollar, especially during periods of increased EFFR. The study contrasts the Taka's behaviour with other South Asian currencies, finding that the Taka's depreciation pattern is uniquely correlated with EFFR changes, unlike its regional counterparts. This correlation suggests that external factors, specifically U.S. monetary policy, significantly influence the Taka's value. This insight challenges the local perspective attributing the Taka's depreciation solely to domestic policy failures, emphasing the need for considering global economic influences in the depreciation of the Bangladeshi Taka.

The effectiveness of a government-sponsored health protection scheme in reducing financial risks for the below-poverty-line population in Bangladesh.

The Government of Bangladesh is piloting a non-contributory health protection scheme called Shasthyo Surokhsha Karmasuchi (SSK) to increase access to quality essential healthcare services for the below-poverty-line (BPL) population. This paper assesses the effect of the SSK scheme on out-of-pocket expenditure (OOPE) for healthcare, catastrophic health expenditure (CHE) and economic impoverishment of the enrolled population. A comparative cross-sectional study was conducted in Tangail District, where the SSK was implemented. From August 2019 to March 2020, a total of 2315 BPL households (HHs) (1170 intervention and 1145 comparison) that had at least one individual with inpatient care experience in the last 12 months were surveyed. A household is said to have incurred CHE if their OOPE for healthcare exceeds the total (or non-food) HH's expenditure threshold. Multiple regression analysis was performed using OOPE, incidence of CHE and impoverishment as dependent variables and SSK membership status, actual BPL status and benefits use status as the main explanatory variables. Overall, the OOPE was significantly lower (P < 0.01) in the intervention areas (Bangladeshi Taka (BDT) 23 366) compared with the comparison areas (BDT 24 757). Regression analysis revealed that the OOPE, CHE incidence at threshold of 10% of total expenditure and 40% of non-food expenditure and impoverishment were 33% (P < 0.01), 46% (P < 0.01), 42% (P < 0.01) and 30% (P < 0.01) lower, respectively, in the intervention areas than in the comparison areas. Additionally, HHs that utilized SSK benefits experienced even lower OOPE by 92% (P < 0.01), CHE incidence at 10% and 40% threshold levels by 72% (P < 0.01) and 59% (P < 0.01), respectively, and impoverishment by 27% at 10% level of significance. These findings demonstrated the significant positive effect of the SSK in reducing financial burdens associated with healthcare utilization among the enrolled HHs. This illustrates the importance of the nationwide scaling up of the scheme in Bangladesh to reduce the undue financial risk of healthcare utilization for those in poverty.

Efficacy, Safety, and Acceptability of Manual Vacuum Aspiration with Para Cervical Block as a Management of Incomplete Abortion

Limited access to safe abortion is a leading cause of maternal mortality and morbidity in the developing world, overwhelming hospitals with a large number of women seeking treatment for complications of unsafe abortion. In many cases, more than half of all gynecological admissions are due to incomplete or septic abortions. The primary aims were to assess the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of the manual vacuum aspiration (MVA) procedure for managing incomplete abortion, considering completeness, procedure, duration, and hemorrhage. Additionally, safety aspects, such as complications (hemorrhage, perforation, and cervical injury), pain relief, patient satisfaction, and factors like reduced hospital stays and waiting times, were evaluated. This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at Dhaka Medical College and Hospital, focusing on women with incomplete abortions up to 12 weeks of gestation. It took place over six months from July to December 2013, with a purposive sample of 100 cases selected based on specific criteria to represent the study's objectives. Statistical analysis was done by using SPSS (version 16.0, SPSS Inc., Chicago, Illinois, USA). Out of 100 respondents, more than two-third of the patients (68%) were in 21-30 years age group. Half of the patients (50%) came from lower middle class family and most of them were housewives (80%). Majority (58%) of the patients had average gestational age 6-10 weeks. More than two-third (70%) of the patients had incomplete abortion, with 47% having attempted to terminate pregnancy. Abdominal pain was reported among 64% of patients, and the average bleeding period was 5-7 days for 62% of them. More than two-third (68%) of patients had no palpable uterus, and active bleeding was also found among two-third 66.0% of cases. Nearly one-third of the patients (32%) received injectable oxytocin and 13% received blood transfusion. Method of para-cervical block was applied for pain management in all patients (100%), while pethidine was used in only 3% of cases. Almost all of the patients 97%) were given sedatives (diazepam) and oral non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Duration for the procedure was 10-15 minutes for 46% of patients, and excessive hemorrhage was found in 2% of cases. The average hospital stay ranged from 2-11 hours. Treatment cost in the majority of cases was only 75-150 Bangladeshi taka (BDT), which was statistically significant. The MVA with paracervical block was found to be efficient for treatment of incomplete abortions during the first trimester of pregnancy, with few complications. MVA procedure had less blood loss, less time consuming, safe and effective with shorter hospital stay. Bangladesh Med J. 2022 May; 51(2): 21-29

EPIDEMIOLOGY OF OCCUPATIONAL AND NON-OCCUPATIONAL EYE INJURIES: CASES TREATED IN FOUR EYE HOSPITALS IN BANGLADESH Authors

Introduction: Eye injury is an important cause of preventable vision loss in developing as well as developed countries. There are many risk factors for eye injuries. Eye injuries can occur anywhere at any time to anyone regardless of socio-economic conditions, demographic profile, and situation. The principal objective of our research work was to study the epidemiological profile of occupational and non-occupational ocular injuries in Bangladesh. Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on purposively selected 117 eye injury cases from four eye hospitals situated in Dhaka (2), Tangail (1), and Rajshahi (1), Bangladesh. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data from the study subjects. Results: Respondents’ Mean ± SD age was 29.70± 15.95 years where a maximum (69.2%) of them were male. Secondary-level education was more common among the study subjects (24.8%). A great number of respondents (62.4%) monthly income ranges from 12,000- 30,999 Bangladeshi Taka. Not using/lack of protective measures, carelessness, and road traffic accidents were identified as the leading causes of eye injuries at the workplace, home, and other areas, respectively by most of the participants. On the other hand, maintaining or cleaning instruments at the job place, looking after children at home, and riding vehicles were mentioned as the activities during eye injuries by the highest number of respondents. A statistical significance p &lt; 0.05 was found between eye injuries and participants’ age, gender, occupation, educational qualification, and monthly family income. Conclusion: Eye injuries are more or less common at home, the workplace, and other areas irrespective of epidemiological distribution. Therefore, measures should be taken to eliminate eye injuries at personal, community, and national levels.

Change in economic burden of diarrhoea in children under-five in Bangladesh: 2007 vs. 2018.

In Bangladesh, diarrhoea in children under-five is a major public health problem with cost implications. Although under-five diarrhoea mortality and morbidity have declined from 2007 to 2018, change in the economic burden is unknown. This study determined the change in the societal economic burden of under-five diarrhoea in Bangladesh comparing 2007 to 2018. A prevalence-based, retrospective cost analysis was conducted from a societal perspective, including costs to households, providers, and economic loss from premature deaths. Data were obtained from the previous cost of illness studies, government reports, and international databases. Direct costs for treatment were estimated by the bottom-up costing approach. Indirect costs on the loss of productivity of caretakers and loss from premature deaths were calculated by the human capital method. Total costs were presented in both local currency (Bangladeshi Taka (BDT)) and US dollars (US$)) in 2018 price. Sensitivity analyses were conducted to assess the robustness of the input parameters. A 36.4% reduction was found on the economic burden of under-five diarrhoea when comparing 2007 and 2018; US$1 209 million (95% CI = 1066 million-1299 million) for 2007 and US$769 million (95% CI = 484 million-873 million) for 2018. Economic loss from premature deaths imposed the highest costs (2007 = 66%, 2018 = 66% of all) followed by indirect costs on the loss of productivity of caretakers (2007 = 21%, 2018 = 26%) and direct medical costs (2007 = 13%, 2018 = 8%). Societal costs from diarrhoeal diseases were reduced from 2007 to 2018 in Bangladesh. However, the economic burden was equivalent to 0.29% of country's gross domestic product in 2018 and remains a challenge. The major contributor to the costs was premature mortality from diarrhoeal diseases. Premature deaths are still prevalent though they to a large extent are avoidable. To further limit the economic burden, under-five diarrhoea mortality and morbidity reduction should be accelerated.

Reflection of Health Insurance among Bangladeshi Primary School Teachers

Over 1.3 billion people in the world are challenged to access good and cheap healthcare when become ill. Health insurance policies are a fantastic strategy to assist people who can't afford medical care. For middle- and low-income nations, there hasn't been much research on the ability to pay for health insurance for public employees like school teachers. Therefore, this cross-sectional questionnaire based research has been undertaken to explore the reflection of health insurance among 383 Bangladeshi school teachers of 5 divisional city center primary school and were being surveyed online between 1st August to 30th August 2022. According to survey, monthly average (mean) health expenditure of respondents were 7668.93 BDT (Bangladeshi Taka equivalent to $80.72) with 95% confidence interval. Of 35% responders suffered from high blood pressure, approximately 8% people were suffering from arthritis and asthma, 7.8% people have heart disease and 8.1 % people suffer from cholesterol problem. Maximum respondents (80%) agreed that health insurance is burden for them. About 51% teachers had no idea about health insurance. However, there was no significant relation in between educational status and health insurance perception for male and female teacher respondents. Moreover, the comparative data highlighted that more awareness and more exploration might be needed in health insurance perception for primary school teachers. This result can contribute to form people’s choice-oriented health insurance policy.

Impact of COVID-19 on Essential Health Care of Rural People in Northern Bangladesh: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background and Objectives: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has an unpredicted effect on global society. The main objective of this study is to determine the impact of COVID-19 on rural people’s access to health care in Northern Bangladesh. Methods: A cross-sectional community-based design was used. Data were collected from four different districts in the Rajshahi and Rangpur divisions using the multistage sampling technique. A pre-tested semi-structured questionnaire was used for data collection. SPSS version 25 was used for the statistical analysis. Results: Among 639 respondents, 59.5% were female, and 40.5% were male. The mean age was 34.3 years (SD ±10). The family income ceiling was reduced to -15.6% for incomes between $10,000 and $20,000, and -12.7% for incomes between $20,000 and $30,000. Because 38.2% of respondents’ income was reduced during COVID-19, they now fall into the income category of ≤10,000 Bangladeshi Taka. Due to a lack of transportation, 41.7% of respondents never sought medical attention. During the COVID-19 period, respondents reported physical illness (24.4%), severe stress problems/mental illness (39.2%), and either injuries or urgent health problems (3.8%).The percentage of respondents who did not seek medical attention because they were afraid of becoming infected with COVID-19 was 30.3%. The majority of respondents, 67.3% (n=188), stated that they were unable to locate any maternal and child health care institutions. Conclusion and Implications for Translation: The COVID-19 pandemic caused a significant disruption in the delivery of essential health services.To address future COVID-19 outbreaks and similar pandemics, the government and private sector must work together, as well as global collaboration. Copyright © 2023 Rahman, et al. Published by Global Health and Education Projects, Inc. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License CC BY 4.0.

Elderly expectation toward their family, society, and government: A cross-sectional observational study

The elderly face very challenging situations due to their mental and physical conditions. Like the other country in the world, Bangladesh Government has enacted laws to protect the elderly rights. However, the law does not seem to represent what the elderly actually needs. Therefore, 385 elderly people, aged between 60 and 90 years were surveyed to understand their expectations from family, society, and government. There were 57.1% men and 42.9% women. Most of the elderly (80%) were educated. Just over half (53.5%) had ordinary mental and physical health, while a quarter (31.4%) had good status. More than half (53%) of the participants required 2000–5000 BDTK (Bangladeshi Taka) equivalent to $20-50 to cover monthly treatment expenditures. The majority (67.3%) felt government Old Age Allowance should be increased to BDT 5,000 ($50). Of 13.8% of individuals experienced harsh discourse from family because of the cost of therapy. However, 16.9% of people choose not to respond to this question. More than half (57.4%) of the respondents’ thought caregivers were insufficient. One-third felt that legislation should be changed to take care of parents (33.5%) and One-third felt that children should take care of more (33.5%). Some (3.6%) thought that children should act as they did in their childhood respectively. Almost half (44.2%) of respondents did not know that the elderly should receive a separate senior citizen card for preferential treatment, yet 51.9% thought this. Some (44.7%) felt the elderly should get priority in any queue and discounts in Bus/Uber/Rickshaw. Results also showed that expectation is more than the service provided. Further, a one-stop elderly care clinic is required to provide integrated care and support for the quality of life of the elderly.

Employer-sponsored Health Insurance (ESHI) Scheme- A New Model of Health Micro Insurance for the Garment Workers in Bangladesh

Organized universal health coverage has not yet been introduced in most developing countries, including Bangladesh. Private health care is affordable only to the high-income group. The aim of this retrospective observational study was to evaluate health service coverage with disease prevention, access to health information, and cost control through health financing to help take appropriate decisions for the betterment of garment workers in Bangladesh. The study was conducted in seven readymade garments (RMG) factories in the Gazipur district from 24 April 2014 to 23 April 2015.A total of 9717 workers aged 18 to 60 years and belonging to the lowest salary groups were included in this Employer-Sponsored Health Insurance (ESHI) scheme. This new model of Health Micro Insurance (HMI) had treatment, laboratory facilities, health education, and medicine supply. The annual coverage for treatment cost was up to 15000 Bangladeshi taka (BDT) or US$192.8 and the premium for enrolment in the scheme was 487 BDT (US$6.3). An agreement foresaw that the surplus cost accrued was equally shared between the insurance company and the factory owner. A common software was used to generate and view all medical information. A total of 4524 (46.6%) workers (60.5% male and 39.5% female) received treatment. The participant's mean age was 28.3 years. The mean consultancy rate was 4.7 times. Participants mostly suffered from gastrointestinal problems(24.4%), and most prescribed medications were anti-ulcer drugs. The median value of drug cost, investigation cost, consultancy fees, and total medical cost were 126 (1.49 USD), 315 (3.71 USD), 200 (2.36 USD), and 734 BDT (8.66), respectively. The annual net premium paid by the factory owner was 4094504 BDT (48744 USD), and the total healthcare cost accrued was 5230156 BDT (62263 USD). This ESHI scheme is a better option for HMI for making healthcare accessible to the largest RMG sector in a developing country like Bangladesh.

Households’ Willingness to Pay for Community-Based Health Insurance in the Southwest Region of Bangladesh

In Bangladesh, especially the informal sector workers are deprived of proper healthcare owing to high cost and lack of security like health insurance. The study aims to estimate the willingness to pay (WTP) of the informal sector workers for premium-based health insurance on the basis of data collected from 210 households, where double bounded dichotomous choice (DBDC) model was applied. The study estimates that this working-class people are willing to pay a monthly premium of on average around BDT (Bangladeshi Taka) 315 (USD 3.66) in response to enjoy the facilities of health insurance scheme for a household comprising up to four family members. Moreover, the per household estimated average monthly optimum tariff rate of almost BDT 300 (USD 3.54) and monthly mean social optimum tariff rate of about BDT 100 (USD 1.18) indicate the assurance of socially desirable welfare for all of the market participants. By charging this tariff, approximately 97 percent of the people would enjoy access to community-based health insurance, in addition to generating revenue that is around 1.13 times the project’s cost. Even by charging this monthly mean social optimum tariff, approximately 97 percent of the households would enjoy the access to community-based health insurance; the generating revenue through that tariff rate is around 1.13 times of the probable cost for high service package health scheme. In order to alleviate the burden of the out-of-pocket (OOP) costs for this vulnerable community, the study advises policymakers to initiate health insurance scheme by maintaining effective supervision over market dynamics and fixing the best fit premium rate.

Forecasting the United State Dollar(USD)/Bangladeshi Taka (BDT) exchange rate with deep learning models: Inclusion of macroeconomic factors influencing the currency exchange rates.

Forecasting a currency exchange rate is one of the most challenging tasks nowadays. Due to government monetary policy and some uncertain factors, such as political stability, it becomes difficult to correctly forecast the currency exchange rate. Previously, many investigations have been done to forecast the exchange rate of the United State Dollar(USD)/Bangladeshi Taka(BDT) using statistical time series models, machine learning models, and neural network models. But none of the previous methods considered the underlying macroeconomic factors of the two countries, such as GDP, import/export, government revenue, etc., for forecasting the USD/BDT exchange rate. We have included various time-sensitive macroeconomic features directly impacting the USD/BDT exchange rate to address this issue. These features will create a new dimension for researchers to predict and forecast the USD/BDT exchange rate. We have used various types of models for predicting and forecasting the USD/BDT exchange rate and found that Among all our models, Time Distributed MLP provides the best performance with an RMSE of 0.1984. Finally, we have proposed a pipeline for forecasting the USD/BDT exchange rate, which reduced the RMSE of Time Distributed MLP to 0.1900 and has proven effective in reducing the error of all our models.

Application of ARIMA Model in Forecasting Exchange Rate: Evidence from Bangladesh

This paper attempts to apply the ARIMA time series model to forecast the exchange rate of seven currencies (United States Dollar, Euro, Pound sterling, Australian Dollar, Japanese Yen, Canadian Dollar and Swedish Krona) in terms of Bangladeshi Taka (BDT) and to investigate the accuracy of the model by comparing the forecasted rates with the actual exchange rates. It considered daily currency exchange rates (244 selling price) of seven currencies for twelve months from January 2018 to December 2018 to forecast the subsequent one month (25 selling rate) in January 2019 rate. The Durbin-Watson test result shows an autocorrelation in the daily foreign currency exchange rate with the previous rate. The Augmented Dickey-Fuller test result shows data have unit roots and non-stationary. But the 1st differencing becomes data stationary to apply d equal to 1 in ARIMA model. Also, autocorrelation function considers MA(0) and partial autocorrelation function considers AR(1) for the ARIMA model. So, ARIMA (1,1,0) models are selected based on Ljung-Box test, root mean square error, mean absolute percent error, mean absolute error and R-square values. By using the above ARIMA models, forecasted foreign currency exchange rates next one month calculated and compared with the respective actual rates, which validate with Chi-Square test, mean absolute percent error, mean square error, root mean square error values of Goodness fit test. The result shows that predicted foreign currency exchange rates follow ARIMA (1,1,0) model, which may be applied to forecast the foreign currency exchange rates in Bangladesh.