Meherpur District Research Articles

Mapping the prevalence and covariates associated with home delivery in Bangladesh: A multilevel regression analysis.

Bangladesh has made an intense effort to improve maternal healthcare facilities including facility delivery, but the number of home deliveries is still very high. Therefore, this study aims to find out district-wise prevalence and determine the individual and community-level predictors of home delivery among women in Bangladesh. Data were derived from the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) 2019, a nationwide cross-sectional survey in Bangladesh. A final sample of 9,166 (weighted) women who gave birth in the two years preceding the survey were included in this study. Considering the two-stage cluster sampling strategy adopted by MICS, we used multilevel (2-level) logistic regression analysis to find out the correlates of home delivery. The overall weighted prevalence of home delivery was 46.41% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 45.39-47.43). The highest prevalence was observed in Bandarban district (84.58%), while the lowest was found in Meherpur district (6.95%). The intercept-only regression model demonstrates that the likelihood of women from various clusters having home delivery varied significantly (variance: 1.47, standard error [SE]: 0.117), indicating the applicability of multilevel regression modeling. The multilevel regression analysis showed that women with higher education, wealth status and ANC visit, and those aged >18 years at first marriage/union were associated with lower odds of delivering child at home compared to their counterparts. While women from age group of 35-49 years, whose last pregnancy was unintended were more likely to deliver child at home. In addition, those respondents belonging to a community that had higher wealth status, women's education level, and exposure to media showed lower odds of having delivery at home. The finding indicates that delivery at home is still high in Bangladesh. Targeted interventions to reduce home delivery are urgently needed in Bangladesh to tackle adversities during deliveries and save mothers from the consequences.

Resilience of Space: Application of Text Driven Emotion in Urban Planning

This study explores the spatial distribution of adaptive cycle phases in Meherpur District, with a particular focus on the rhythm of emotions within the community. By analyzing settlement patterns and incident distribution taken from newspaper, the study identifies key phases of the adaptive cycle—Release (Ω), Reorganization (α), Growth (r), and Conservation (K)— across the unions and paurashavas of Meherpur District. A GIS-based approach was used to map buffer zones and observe how each phase manifests within varying distances from the settlement center. The findings highlight significant fluctuations between release and reorganization phases, suggesting that the region is in a constant state of transformation and recovery. The study also reflects on how these spatial patterns affect resilience, with a particular emphasis on the emotional and psychological landscape of the local population. This comprehensive analysis provides valuable insights into adaptive management and regional development strategies in Meherpur, contributing to a more resilient and emotionally stable community.

Risk factors associated with cutaneous anthrax outbreaks in humans in Bangladesh.

To determine the risk factors associated with cutaneous anthrax infection in humans. During 2013-2016, we investigated total 26 anthrax outbreaks across the country. We additionally conducted a case-control study to identify risk factors by recruiting four controls for each enrolled case. Adjusted odds ratios (aOR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated to identify risk factors using multivariate logistic regression. Over the study period, a total of 1,210 suspected cutaneous anthrax cases were identified in seven districts of Bangladesh. Most of the cases (61%, n = 744) were detected from Meherpur district. Cases were detected over the year, with the peak number of outbreaks occurring in May. The overall attack rate of suspected cutaneous anthrax cases for 16 outbreaks was 20%, with the highest rate occurring among individuals aged 40-49 years. Persons who had a cut injury (aOR 19.04, CI: 4.08-88.86), weighed raw meat (aOR 5.73, CI: 3.03-10.83), mixed bones and meat (aOR 4.64, CI: 3.03-7.09), observed livestock slaughtering (aOR 2.86, CI: 2.02-4.04), had direct contact to an anthrax suspected livestock (aOR 2.68, CI:1.61-4.45), slaughtered livestock (aOR 2.29, CI: 1.3-4.02), and who did not wash hands with soap and water after direct contact (aOR 2.57, CI: 1.89-3.5) were more likely to develop cutaneous anthrax than people who did not have these exposures. Prior cut injuries on exposed body areas during meat handling and slaughtering of sick livestock were identified as potential risk factors for cutaneous anthrax, highlighting the importance of preventing the slaughter of sick animals. However, stopping slaughtering sick livestock, handling meat and livestock by-products to reduce anthrax exposures from livestock to humans may be difficult to achieve given the associated financial incentives in Bangladesh. Interventions such as hand washing with soap during slaughtering and processing meat can be targeted to affected communities to ameliorate some risk.

Sociodemographic Characteristics Of Rural And Urban School-Going Children With Behavioral And Emotional Disorders

Background: The prevalence of behavioral and emotional disorders among school-going children is a significant public health concern, particularly in developing countries like Bangladesh. This study aimed to explore the socio-demographic characteristics influencing these disorders in rural and urban settings in the Meherpur District of Bangladesh. Methods: This cross-sectional, descriptive, and analytical study was conducted from January 2007 to December 2009, involving 435 school-going children aged 5 to 18 years from both rural (n=214) and urban (n=221) areas of Meherpur District. Participants were selected through purposive sampling, and data were collected using the Development and Well-being Assessment (DAWBA) tool, validated in Bangla, to diagnose emotional and behavioral disorders based on ICD-10 criteria. Results: The study found significant disparities in socio-demographic factors between rural and urban groups. Rural children were more likely to have illiterate parents, with 37.85% of fathers and 61.21% of mothers being illiterate. Family income was significantly lower in rural areas, with 94.86% of rural families earning less than 10,000 Tk per month. The prevalence of psychiatric disorders was slightly higher in rural areas (15.89%) compared to urban areas (14.03%). Major depressive disorder was the most common emotional disorder, while hyperkinetic disorder was the most prevalent behavioral disorder, with no significant differences between rural and urban groups. Conclusion: The study highlights the critical role of socio-demographic factors in the prevalence of behavioral and emotional disorders among children in Bangladesh. The findings suggest a need for targeted interventions in rural areas to address educational and mental health disparities, contributing to more equitable health outcomes.

DO LOCAL NEWSPAPERS REFLECT THE LOCALS? A COMPARATIVE STUDY ON LOCAL AND NATIONAL NEWS COVERAGE IN KHULNA

Local newspapers reflect the voices of the periphery as they have direct and close connections with the local community. This study aims to examine the coverage policy of local newspapers in Khulna, with a particular focus on a comparative analysis of local and national news. This study followed a sequential research design, employing content analysis and in-depth interview methods. The content analysis method was used to assess the several aspects of news coverage and six in-depth interviews were conducted to explore the explanation of content analysis. A total of 2,278 news articles from three local newspapers were scanned and manually inputted into a coding sheet. These codes were analyzed with Microsoft Excell-16 and news-theme was visualized with NVivo-11. The analysis was divided into three phases (i.e., Comparative coverage, news theme, and geographical proximity). The major findings indicate that the ratio of local and national news coverage demonstrates minimal variance in terms of both frequency and column-inch metrics. It has been revealed, however, that the majority of advertisements (96.02%) come from local sources but coverage of local news is comparatively lower, accounting for 53.90%. The most covered local news theme is crime (41.77%), while political news gets highest coverage in the national news category which is 29.81%. Additionally, Jessore district, one of the nearest districts of Khulna receives the highest coverage which is 13.74% while Meherpur district, geographically remotest district of Khulna, received the lowest coverage. The majority of local news is capital-centric, with the Dhaka division receiving the maximum coverage at 93.02%. It indicates that local news was not sufficiently prioritized in local newspapers. Even while geographical proximity acted as a significant factor in news coverage, the news is predominantly urban-oriented.

Measuring Financial Condition of Municipalities in Bangladesh: A Case Study on Gangni Pourashava in Meherpur District

Sufficient financing in local government institutions is the key to effectively carry out a wide range of functions at the local level. In Bangladesh, municipalities play a pivotal role in delivering various services and engaging in socio-economic activities. This research aims to assess the financial conditions of urban local government organizations in Bangladesh, with a particular emphasis on Gangni Pourashava in Meherpur District. The study adopts a comprehensive approach, combining qualitative and quantitative methods, including a structured questionnaire survey and interviews for data collection. The findings reveal that local governments exhibit favorable financial conditions to cover their expenditures. However, a stark contrast emerges when considering citizen satisfaction, with widespread dissatisfaction attributed to the perceived lack of financial responsibility, citizen participation, and transparency. Notably, the research identifies several key challenges, including the absence of financial autonomy, dependence on government grants, and resource constraints. These findings suggest that municipalities need to engage in comprehensive financial planning that is transparent and involves greater citizen participation.

Accumulation of arsenic and other metals in soil and human consumable foods of Meherpur district, southwestern Bangladesh, and associated health risk assessment

Groundwater and soil contaminated with arsenic (As) are significant environmental health concerns worldwide and have become a serious health issue for millions of Bangladeshis. This contaminated groundwater is commonly used for Boro rice production during the dry season in Bangladesh, leading to long-term As deposition in soils. The consequences of long-term irrigation with As-contaminated groundwater for bioaccumulation in food crops and hence dietary exposure to As and other metals are a threat to the resident. Highly arsenic (292 µg L−1) contaminated groundwater used to irrigate in the study area increases the As content (mean: 24.5 mg kg−1) in irrigated soil than non-irrigated soil (mean: 8.43 mg kg−1). The high enrichment factor (mean: 16.8) and geo-accumulation index (mean: 2.33) revealed that the soil of that particular area is strongly contaminated by As. In paddy, roots showed the maximum As concentration (mean: 139.8 mg kg−1) followed by straws (mean: 5.25 mg kg−1) and grains (mean: 1.23 mg kg−1) where 85–95% As exist in the roots of paddy, and only 0.8–1% As translocate to the harvesting part of the rice in the study area. In food samples, two rice grains (R-1, R-3) and a drumstick (FS-5) exceed the Indian standard of As concentration (As: 1.1 mg kg−1) in food. According to World Health Organization, the metals concentrations in all food samples exceeded the permissible limit except for Cu and Pb in red amaranth; Cr, Cd, and Pb in guava; and Cu and Cd in drumsticks. Higher values of bioaccumulation factor (BAF: 2.94) and the net translocation coefficient (NTC: 6.17) indicate As-accumulation in food from adjacent contaminated soil. Daily metal intake from food consumption suggests that the heavy metal(loid)s like As, Ni, and Pb represent high concentrations and exceed the daily ingestion limits (As: 3 µg kg−1 day−1, Ni: 1.3 µg kg−1 day−1, and Pb: 3.57 µg kg−1 day−1) developed by the Food and Agriculture Organization and European Food Safety Authority. Carcinogenic (> 10–6) and non-carcinogenic (HQ > 1) health risks of As, Pb, Cd, and Cu suggest that the community was at potential health risk according to the United States Environmental Protection Agency.

Present Scenario and Problems of Litchi Cultivation in Meherpur District of Bangladesh

Litchi is a popular summer fruit in Bangladesh and the production of litchi is increasing day by day. However, the production procedure of litchi is not a problem free venture. The Meherpur district of Bangladesh is a suitable place for commercial cultivation of litchi. Thus, the present study was conducted to determine the status of litchi cultivation and to identify the problems confronted by the litchi growers of Meherpur Sadar and Mujibnagar upazila of Meherpur district, Bangladesh. Data were collected through a pre-tested interview schedule from 60 respondents selected by accidental sampling during May to June, 2019. Majority of the respondents (58.3%) belong to early initiation category of litchi cultivation (during 1996 to 2012) with early (3-5 years) fruit collection (51.7%). Most of the respondents (80.0%) allotted small area (up to 0.5 ha) of land for litchi cultivation; and 41.7% used low extent for litchi cultivation i.e., 40% of the potential area; and all the respondents belonged to continuous adoption category. Most of the respondents (80.0%) cultivate Bombai variety and 73.3% had moderate number (86-135) of plants in their orchard; and about one-third of the respondents (30.0%) maintain a spacing of 4.65m×6.20m in their litchi orchard. Two-fifth (40.0%) of the respondents harvested a moderate yield (1,00,001-2,00,000 fruits ha-1), however, most of the respondents (81.67%) argued that they get low price (up to 1,25,000 BDT ha-1) from their litchi orchards . Majority of the respondents (68.33%) reported that litchi fruit and shoot borer infest their orchard while the orchards of 45% respondents were infested by fruit rot disease. Majority of the respondents (68.3%) confronted medium extent of problems followed by low (18.3%) and high (13.4%) extent of problems. The most severe problems were lack of training on litchi cultivation and low shelf life of litchi as reported by all (100%) of the respondents. Among eleven selected socioeconomic characteristics of the respondents’ only farm size, annual income, cosmopolitanism and knowledge on litchi cultivation showed significant negative relationship with their problem confrontation. It might be concluded that proper, adequate and timely extension activities would minimize the extent of problems in litchi cultivation to ensure sustained higher yield in Bangladesh. South Asian J. Agric., 8(1&2): 20-28

Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Rural People on Antibiotic Usage: Bangladesh Perspective

Antibiotic resistance is a serious global health problem. This study endeavours to assess the current knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) regarding antibiotic usage among the rural people of Meherpur district, Bangladesh. This study followed quantitative approach and used social survey method to collect data from 399 respondents of Meherpur district. Results reveal that the respondents had a moderate knowledge of antibiotic usage but a negative attitude towards following the guideline and poor practice in using antibiotics made the situation worse for them. The findings of this study will help for the policymakers to develop the current awareness level of the rural people regarding antibiotic use and will provide a guideline for the improvement of current community clinics health-care providers’ efficiency on their service provision.

Hemoglobin Status of the Hospital Admitted Patients: A Cross-Sectional Study in A District Hospital of Bangladesh

Introduction: Anemia is a global public health concern, especially in lower and middle income countries like Bangladesh. The present study aimed to find out the hemoglobin level and prevalence of anemia among the patients admitted in a district hospital of Meherpur, Bangladesh. Methods: This cross sectional study was conducted among 500 patients admitted to Medicine and Gynecology department of Meherpur General Hospital. After enrollment, 2-3 ml of blood sample was collected in EDTA tubes from each patients and hemoglobin level was determined using an automated hematology analyzer for determination of anemia as defined by the WHO. All statistical analyses were carried out using SPSS version 24.0 for a significant p-value <0.05. Results: The mean (SD) age of the participants was 48.6 (18.9) years and almost 57% of them were female. Mean (SD) of the Hb level among the participants was 9.8 (1.7) g/dL which was significantly higher among men compared to women (10.1 mg/dL vs 9.5mg/dL). Overall prevalence of anemia was 93.8% (mild 25%, moderate 54% and severe 15%) and the prevalence was comparatively higher among women (96% vs 91%). Female sex and older age were significant risk factors of moderate to severe anemia among the participants though other variables like comorbidities and chronic NSAID use were not revealed as significant. Conclusion: Anemia prevalence was very high among the patients admitted in Meherpur district hospital, especially among female and elderly patients. So, routine assessment and proper management of anemia of the hospital admitted patients is crucial for better treatment outcome. TAJ 2021; 34: No-2: 114-121

Mineral nutrient content of infected plants and allied soils provide insight into wheat blast epidemics

Wheat is the second-largest cereal crop in Bangladesh and plays an essential role in ensuring the country's food security. Since 2016, there has been a severe epidemic of wheat blast disease in Bangladesh. This research investigated the nutritional context of wheat blast epidemics by analyzing the infected plants and allied soils. We collected blast-infected wheat plants and allied soil samples from six different severely infected regions of the Meherpur district situated in the western part of Bangladesh. The incidence and severity of wheat blast disease in the sampling fields ranged from 84.78 - 95.11% and 82.06–92.19%, respectively. Among the investigated mineral nutrients in plant samples, the concentrations of sulfur (S), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), iron (Fe) and manganese (Mn) were within the acceptable range of the reference values. In contrast, 50% of the plant samples had insufficient phosphorus (P) concentrations, while others were within the critical range. The potassium (K) and copper (Cu) concentrations in more than 33.5% of plants were within the deficient range. The Si concentrations in half of the tested plant samples were below the acceptable level. However, the boron (B) concentration of around 50% of samples was within the toxic range. The total K, Ca, Zn, Fe, Mn, and Cu concentrations of the soils were lower than the reference values. Based on the interpretation of the available soil test values, the concentrations of S, Fe, Mn, and B in most samples were very low. The concentrations of available P, K, Ca, Mg, Zn and Cu in soil samples were higher than the critical limit. There was a negative relationship between K, S, Ca, Mg, Na and Si concentrations with blast incidence and severity. Therefore, this research suggests that certain plant nutrients such as P, K, Cu, B and Si play a vital role in the wheat blast disease epidemic.

Impacts of different nitrogen forms and doses on agronomic performance of BRRI dhan29

Nitrogen (N) is one of the most important nutrients for rice cultivation and probably the hardest to maintain in soil. This experiment was conducted to investigate the impacts of different N forms and doses as urea on BRRI dhan29 during boro season in Meherpur district, Bangladesh. The two most abundant forms of urea namely granular urea (GU) and urea super granule (USG) were selected with five doses (0, 100, 150, 200, and 250 kg ha-1) for each form. The treatments were replicated thrice in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD). GU was broadcasted and USG was applied using deep placement method. Other fertilizers viz. triple super phosphate, muriate of potash, gypsum, and zinc sulfate were applied at 100, 70, 60, and 5 kg ha-1, respectively. Agronomic parameters were measured by randomly selecting five hills from each plot. Application of N through USG significantly improved almost all agronomic characteristics such as plant height, total and effective tiller hill-1, panicle length, total and filled grains panicle-1, straw and biological yields, grain yield, and harvest index. BRRI dhan29 produced the highest grain and straw yields with the highest dose of USG application (250 kg ha-1). The 1000-seed weight was not significantly affected by N doses or by forms that might be due to its genetically controlled trait and environmental influence during the grain filling stage. Deep placement of USG ensured adequate N supply for a longer period that resulted in enhancement of growth and yield components of BRRI dhan29.

Integrated Pest Management Practices Adopted by Mango Growers at Meherpur Region in Bangladesh

A study on integrated pest management (IPM) practices adopted by the mango growers was carried out at Mujibnagar Upazila under Meherpur district of Bangladesh during August-September 2018 using structured questionnaire. Randomly selected 112 mango growers were used for the study. Results indicated that 75.9% of the respondents were highly adopted with IPM practices during mango cultivation. According to IPM Practices Use Index (IPUI), harvesting at right stage was ranked 1st and use of sex pheromone trap was ranked 10th as commonly used IPM tactic by the growers. The use of logistic regression model in this study was identified as the significant factor of IPM adoption, explore several factors, including contact with IPM club, IFMC and Farmers Field School (FFS) and annual income from mango cultivation. SAARC J. Agric., 19(1): 125-138 (2021)

Patients' Satisfaction on the Service Quality of Upazila Health Complex in Bangladesh.

This article attempts to measure the state of satisfaction of patients over the quality of health care as well as identify the crucial factors that affect the patients’ satisfaction in Upazila Health Complex (UHC). The quantitative approach was used following a structured questionnaire survey method. Four hundred visitors of 2 UHCs in Meherpur district were randomly selected as respondents for the study. The Statistical Package for Social Science IBM version 24 and R software (version 4.0.2) were used to run descriptive statistics, χ2 test, confirmatory factor analysis, and principal component analysis for quantitative data analysis. The data reveal that the overall satisfaction score is (2.75 ± 0.943). A 3-dimension model of service quality is found to have a significant relationship with patients’ satisfaction at the rural level. Care providers’ attitude and responsiveness in service delivery are found to be the most vital factor, while the tangibles and accessibility factors moderately influence the patient’s satisfaction on the service quality at UHCs.

Gender Differences in Service Quality of Upazila Health Complex in Bangladesh.

The gender-based differences in satisfaction on the service quality of the Upazila Health Complex (UHC) in Bangladesh are assessed in this paper using the SERVQUAL model. Two Upazila, field administrative unit of Bangladesh, of Meherpur district of Bangladesh, were selected to conduct the study. The study used a quantitative approach, primarily using the survey method. The research found that the perception of male and female on service quality of UHC varies significantly. Though they have a similar perception of reliability dimension, females still have a comparatively more positive perception of accessibility, tangibles, empathy, and responsiveness dimensions to UHC than male service receivers. The regression result showed that responsiveness is the key factor to bring satisfaction in service, while empathy and accessibility moderately influence service receivers’ satisfaction. The findings will be useful for policymakers, public health stakeholders, earnest learners, practitioners, and academia.

Financial and factors demand analysis of solar powered irrigation system in Boro rice production: A case study in Meherpur district of Bangladesh

Solar powered irrigation system (SPIS) has emerged as a promising technology in Bangladesh. The aim of this study to find the financial and environment importance of SPIS. This study also analyzes the factor demand and elasticity of substitute for SPIS irrigation in Boro rice production. The financial analysis indicate that SPIS user had significantly higher gross return, net return and benefit cost ratio (BCR) than diesel powered irrigation system (DPIS) user. The value of BCR for SPIS user was found 1.313 and 1.029 for DPIS user. Replacing half of diesel powered irrigation system can reduce more than one million carbon emission in environment from agricultural source. The result also revealed that irrigation system is highly inelastic and the result showed that an increase and decrease in price of irrigation wouldn’t have significant impact on demand of irrigation. The result indicates that for Boro rice production farmer had to use required amount of irrigation in field. Complementary relationship was found between seed and human labour, irrigation and human labour. Substitute relationship was found between machinery and seed, machinery and irrigation, machinery and human labour, machinery and fertilizer, seed and irrigation, seed and fertilizer, irrigation and fertilizer, human labour and fertilizer.

Determinants of depressive symptoms among older people in Bangladesh

BackgroundDepressive symptoms are common among older people which are associated with disability, morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study was to determine the associated risk factors for depressive symptoms among older people in Bangladesh. MethodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted among 400 people aged ≥65 years from the Meherpur district in Bangladesh. Depressive symptoms were measured by the 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale and categorized into: no depressive symptoms, mild, moderate and severe depressive symptoms. Information was also collected on socio-economic and demographic characteristics, health problems, feeling of loneliness, history of falls and concern about falling. Chi-square test of association and multinomial logistic regression was performed to reveal the determinants of depressive symptoms. ResultsJust over half of the sample were female, aged 70+ years, and lived in rural areas. The prevalence of depressive symptoms was 55.5%, and 23.0% mild, 19.0% moderate, and 13.5% having severe levels of depressive symptoms. Older age, sex, residence, marital status, presence of co-morbidities, visual impairment, previous falls, loneliness, and fear of falling were the significant determinants for developing depressive symptoms. LimitationsA convenience sampling method was used for data collection among older people from selected communities in a district of Bangladesh. The results do not represent the entire population of Bangladesh. Besides, it was a cross-sectional study, and causality cannot be determined. ConclusionDepressive symptoms among older people in Bangladesh is prevalent, and needs to be addressed. Public health programs and strategies are needed to reduce depressive symptoms among older adults in Bangladesh.

Sero-surveillance of circulating PPR virus and its molecular analysis in selected areas of Bangladesh

Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR) is a highly fatal viral disease of goat and sheep. This research work was done in 2017-2018 by executing, surveillance and epidemiological studies to determine present status of circulating PPR virus and its molecular characterization in different areas of Bangladesh. cELISA was conducted to detect the PPR antibody and RT-PCR also used for identification of N gene PPRV. Sera samples and nasal swabs were collected from eight (8) selected villages under Meherpur sadar upazila of Meherpur district on questionnaire basis. Considering two villages as control and six villages as treatment villages. The total 1860 sera were collected at pre vaccination, 21 days, 3 months, 6 months of post vaccination at these selected areas that tested by cELISA and 8035 goat and sheep were received locally produced PPR Vaccine. Baseline study showed that a total of 950 household rear goats in selected 8 villages where number of goats per household ranges from 4.0-5.0. Deworming was done before vaccination in the treatment villages. Pre-vaccination status of six (6) treatment villages were 55.95%, 50.76%, 37.68%, 41.12%, 44.62% and 43.26% in Chakshamnagar, kola, Amjupi, Amdah, Gopalpur and Chadbill respectively, whereas in the control villages (2) seropositive were 40.00% and 42.57% in Doforpur and Mayamari, respectively. Overall 44.90% goats were seropositive against PPR Virus in treatment villages before vaccination. The Sera was analyzed from 21 days, 3 months and 6 months of post-vaccinated goat and sheep from the treatment (6) villages showed the average herd immunity level of goats and sheep rose to 89.10%, 93.25% and 93.37% respectively whereas in the control villages seropositive goats was 38.14%, 43.98% and 35.64% respectively. Awareness building campaigns with villagers have been conducted involving both men and women through the training, meeting, regular visit of household, distribution of poster and leaflet. The mortality and case fatality rate recorded were 7.4% and 18.8%, respectively due to PPR outbreaks. In clinical case, total 59 nasal swabs were molecular characterized by RT-PCR and 41 (69.49%) samples were N gene positive. Among them, the highest presence of PPR virus was recorded at Meherpur sadar upazila 80.77% (21 out of 26) samples was positive. The result of RT-PCR indicates the PPR virus circulating in the different regions of Bangladesh. It is reflected that locally produced PPR vaccine confers sufficient herd immunity that can protect PPR disease in goat and sheep which helps to meet global PPR control programme.
 Asian Australas. J. Biosci. Biotechnol. 2019, 4 (2), 88-96

Prevalence and Determinants of Loneliness among Older Adults in Bangladesh

Background: The prevalence of loneliness confirms its commonness among older adults which leads to further functional declination, of physical and mental health along with disability and the last result is to be death. Thus, this study was undertaken with a view to examining the potential risk factors for loneliness in aging population in Bangladesh which is responsible for its prevalence. Methods: Data gathered for this cross-sectional study from 517 older adults’ older adults in Meherpur district, Bangladesh. The level of loneliness was assessed using short version (6-items) of De Jong Gierveld Loneliness Scale and the depression was measure with the help of 15-items geriatric depression scale (GDS). Chi-square test was run to find out the possible associated factors for loneliness and multivariate multinomial logistic regression model was performed to predict the significant risk factors. Results: The overall prevalence of loneliness found 54.3% whereas 41% felt ‘sometimes’ and 13.3% had feeling of ‘always’ loneliness. In bivariate model, except place of residence, all other selected characteristics were significantly associated with increasing of loneliness. In adjusted analysis, gender, marital status, living status, hearing-visual impairment, depression, concern about falling were found as the statistically significantly risk factors for causing of different degrees of loneliness. Conclusion: Study connotes the prevalence of loneliness among aged people of Bangladesh and their associated risk factors. Results of this study would be assistive to reduce the prevalence of loneliness and helpful for geriatric policy implications.

Comparative Advantages of Lentil (<i>Lens culinaris</i>) and Mustard (<i>Brassica nigra</i> L.) Production and their Profitability in a Selected District of Bangladesh

The present study was conducted to estimate the profitability, domestic resource cost (DRC) and comparative advantages of lentil and mustard production in Bangladesh. Primary data were used in this study, where a total of 100 randomly selected farm survey (Mustard 50 & Lentil 50) was conducted in Meherpur district using structured questionnaire. The study revealed that per hectare total cost and net profit of lentil production were about Tk. 78,442 and Tk. 86,590, respectively, whereas they were Tk. 62,527 and Tk. 38,718 for mustard production. The benefit cost ratios (BCR) of lentil and mustard production were 2.32 and 1.73, respectively, indicating that both lentil and mustard cultivation in Bangladesh are profitable. The domestic resource costs (DRC) of lentil and mustard production were 0.39 and 0.55, respectively which imply that Bangladesh has comparative advantage in producing both lentil and mustard. The Cobb-Douglas production function coefficients show that farm area, irrigation, pesticides, and chemical fertilizers (Gypsum, MP) were statistically significant factors affecting lentil production having increasing returns to scale. Farm area, irrigation and manure were statistically significant factors affecting mustard production with constant return to scale. In this study, production, technology and marketing problems have been listed down which will help the policy makers and the researchers to undertake proper steps for further improvement of lentil and mustard production in Bangladesh. The Agriculturists 2018; 16(1) 21-33