Narayanganj District Research Articles

Geographic inequalities and determinants of anaemia among preeclamptic women: a cross-sectional sample-based study in Bangladesh

BackgroundAnaemia among preeclamptic (PE) women is a major undefined health issue in Bangladesh. This study explored the risk factors associated with anaemia and mapped the regional influences to understand the geographical inequalities.MethodsData from 180 respondents were prospectively collected from the Preeclampsia ward of Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH), Bangladesh. Anaemia was defined as a blood haemoglobin level less than 11.0 g/dl. Preeclampsia was defined as systolic blood pressure (SBP) ≥ 140 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) ≥ 90 mmHg with proteinuria. Factors associated with anaemia were explored using the chi-square test. Logistic regression (LR) was done to determine the level of association with the risk factors.ResultsAmong the participants, 28.9% were identified as having early onset and 71.1% reported late onset of PE. 38.9% of the subjects were non-anaemic, whereas mild, moderate, and severe anaemia was found among 38.3%, 17.8%, and 5% of patients respectively. The following factors were identified; including age range 25–34 (OR: 0.169, p < 0.05), a lower education level (OR: 3.106, p < 0.05), service-holder mothers (OR: 0.604, p < 0.05), pregnancy interval of less than 24 months (OR: 4.646, p < 0.05), and gestational diabetes mellitus (OR: 2.702, p < 0.05). Dhaka district (IR: 1.46), Narayanganj district (IR: 1.11), and Munshiganj district (IR: 0.96) had the highest incidence rates.ConclusionDeterminants of anaemia must be considered with importance. In the future, periodic follow-ups of anaemia should be scheduled with a health care program and prevent maternal fatality and fetus morbidity in patients with PE.

Identification of necessity behind the construction of the third Shitalakhya bridge based on level of service (LOS) measurement parameters applicable for developing countries

With the expansion of industrial activities in developing countries like Bangladesh, the purchase of motorized vehicles is also growing in recent days. This increased number of motorized vehicles is creating massive pressure on the logistic movement in industrial areas, and the performance level of roadways is deteriorating day by day. It has become quite difficult to meet the need for a reliable transportation system that can provide good compatibility for road users and logistical operations. Kanchpur Industrial Area can be classified as an industrial hub of Narayanganj District due to the presence of jute trading and plant processing industries. Over the years two bridges have been constructed in the proximity of this area named, the Kanchpur Bridge and Sultana Kamal Bridge to decrease the pressure on N2 National Highway; however, the situation is still not satisfactory and construction of a third bridge over the Shitalakhya River is under consideration by the Government of Bangladesh (GOB). Dhaka-Sylhet Highway is a section of the N2 National Highway system which connects the industrial district Kanchpur with Dhaka City. The main objectives of the study were to develop a methodology which can be used to measure the Level of Service (LOS) of roadways located in developing countries and use it to understand the necessity of the construction of the third Shitalakhya Bridge. LOS measurement procedures suitable for developed countries are not useable for developing countries due to the difference in road geometry, presence of non-motorized vehicles, and control delay at intersections. A procedure has been developed to measure LOS by combining standards of the National Institute of Technical Teachers Training and Research, Chandigarh, India; Highway Capacity Manual (HCM), USA; and Roads and Highway Department (RHD), Bangladesh. LOS measurement was based on four parameters: Peak Hour Factor (PHF), Travel Speed, Load Factor, and Volume/Capacity Ratio (VCR). The data analysis shows that the LOS value of the Dhaka-Sylhet Highway varies within the range from “E" to “F", and construction of the third Shitalakhya Bridge will significantly improve the roadway condition.

Association of serum vitamin-D level with renal function in a rural population of Bangladesh

Background: Vitamin D deficiency is an emerging global health problem. Recent studies have indicated that the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency even in tropical countries is as high as that observed in Western populations. Vitamin D deficiency has high impact on renal disorders which are leading causes of death in humans.&#x0D; Methods: This was a cross sectional analytical study. According to inclusion criteria of the study total 259 participants were recruited from a rural area, Baidyerbazar union of Narayanganj district. After taking history and clinical examination, relevant investigations were done. Serum 25(OH)D was measured using chemiluminescent immunoassay (CLIA) technology (DiaSorin Inc, Stillwater, MN). Renal functions of the study population were assessed by e-GFR (calculated by CKD-EPI equation), urinary ACR and urine microscopy.&#x0D; Results: In this study out of 259 study subjects on vitamin-D status 6.2%, 33.6% and 60.2% had vitamin-D sufficiency, insufficiency and deficiency respectively. Among participated female (133) 78.2% had vitamin-D deficiency and among participated male (126) 41.3% had vitamin-D deficiency. Among vitamin-D sufficiency, insufficiency and deficiency group the mean eGFR was 102.94, 104.87 and 109.33 ml/min/1.73 m2 respectively. The mean uACR level was 6.97, 22.89 and 37.29 mg/gm respectively.&#x0D; Conclusion: The findings of the study suggest that 93.8% of study population had either vitamin-D insufficiency or deficiency. Vitamin-D deficiency was more prevalent in females than males. Serum 25- hydroxyvitamin D level was negatively associated with urinary ACR level.&#x0D; Mugda Med Coll J. 2022; 5(2): 82-87

Necessity of Fire Safety Measure Intervention among Garment Workers

Background: Providing Bangladesh with low-cost garment industries has had terrible results, including fires and building collapses that have claimed lives and injured hundreds of employees. Objective: This study was carried out to assess the effectiveness of educational intervention programs in increasing fire safety measures among garment workers. Methods: This was a quasi-experimental study conducted among purposively selected 160 garment workers with a semi-structured questionnaire through face-to-face interviews from 1st January to 31st December, 2021 in a factory situated in Narayanganj district. Results: Before the educational intervention, about one-third (29.4%) of respondents had a strong awareness of fire safety; after the intervention, that number increased to 92.5%. All of them (100.0%) had clear knowledge about fire alarms and fire extinguishers after the intervention. After the intervention, the percentage of people who needed sufficient training for fire safety measures improved from 70.6% to 95.6%. Conclusion: The results show that there is a critical need for safety intervention in the sector, which may include safety training for industry workers and health education to reduce the number of fatalities, disabilities, and societal financial burdens. Mediscope 2023;10(2): 50-55

Groundwater vulnerability assessment to pollution using GIS-based DRASTIC and GOD methods in Araihazar upazila of Narayanganj district, Bangladesh

A groundwater vulnerability map is a preliminary way to assess the risk of groundwater pollution from a variety of sources and across a range of geological and hydrological contexts. With rapid urbanization and industrialization, the possibility of groundwater contamination has greatly increased in Bangladesh. The focus of this study is on an industrialized peri-urban area in Bangladesh, where the regional aquifer has already been depressurized owing to pumping to fulfill the ascending municipal and industrial water demand of the Dhaka megacity and adjacent areas. Two vulnerability index maps were created utilizing a Geographic Information System (GIS) and the contamination risk indices DRASTIC (Depth to water table (D), Net recharge (R), Aquifer media (A), Soil media (S), Topography (T), Impact of vadose zone (I) and hydraulic Conductivity of the aquifer (C)) and GOD (Groundwater or hydraulic confinement in the aquifer under consideration (G), Overlying strata in terms of lithological characters that determine the pollutant attenuation capacity (O) and Depth to groundwater (D)). Vulnerabilities varied greatly over the study area. The DRASTIC analysis identified three vulnerability classes: one-fifth of the area exhibited high vulnerability, more than half of the study area showed moderate vulnerability and rest of the area is low in vulnerability. In contrast, GOD analysis was somewhat conservative, showed two classes where vulnerability was negligible in 58% of the study area and low in the rest of the area. The study also generated hot-spot maps of potential surface contamination for each vulnerability map by overlapping the potentially hazardous activity layer which corresponds to areas with higher industrial clusters. Human activities that commonly cause groundwater pollution need to be constrained by utilizing groundwater protection strategies in the identified vulnerable areas to ensure sustainable development.

Enrichment, sources, and distributions of toxic elements in the farming land's topsoil near a heavily industrialized area of central Bangladesh, and associated risks assessment

Toxic element accumulation in the surrounding soils of the advanced industry- and agriculture-oriented areas may lead to severe environmental degradation and harmful impact on inhabitants. This work examined the concentration of some concerned toxic elements (Cr, Pb, Cd, Cu, As, and Ni) in the representative topsoil from 10 industrially contaminated sites in central Bangladesh (Narayanganj district) using an Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer concerning the probable ecological and human health risks. The mean concentrations (mg/kg) of the elements were found in the order of Ni (58.1 ± 11.8) > Pb (34.1 ± 14.3) > Cr (32.1 ± 6.77) > Cu (14.5 ± 3.30) > Cd (2.74 ± 1.08) > As (1.49 ± 0.43). The findings pointed out that diversified manmade events enhanced the intensities of elemental contamination through the studied sites. Source analysis showed that Cr, Pb, As, and Cd may originate from industrial wastewater and agricultural activities, whereas Cu and Ni came from natural sources. The geo-accumulation index level for Cd (1.70–3.39) was determined as grade 3 (moderately to strongly polluted), the enrichment factor score for Cd (13.9) fell in the very severe enhanced category (cluster 5), and the highest contamination factor value was found for Cd (15.7). The contamination degree values for all the tested elements signify a moderate to severe contamination grade; conversely, pollution load index levels depicted the nonexistence of elemental pollution. The assessment revealed serious Cd pollution in agricultural soils and moderate to significant potential ecological risk for the rest of the examined toxic elements. Furthermore, hazard index values exceeded the safe exposure levels, indicating that there was potential non-carcinogenic risk in the soils for children and adults. Ingestion exposure had much higher carcinogenic risk values than inhalation and cutaneous exposure, and children are exposed to considerable carcinogenic hazards. Therefore, it is suggested that the harmful practices that expose this farming soil to contaminants should be stopped immediately and effective environment-friendly techniques of waste management and effluent treatment should be employed in the study area.

Women’s Empowerment: Impact of RMG; Case from BISIC, Fatullah, Narayanganj District

The multifaceted concept of women's empowerment has gained prominence, particularly in the context of the Ready-Made Garment (RMG) industry. This paper investigates the impact of the RMG sector on women's empowerment, centering on ten garment companies located in BISIC, Fatullah, Narayanganj District, Bangladesh. Employing a sample of 150 women workers (with a response rate of 90%), this study examines the contribution of employment in this industry to economic, social, and political empowerment. Through a comprehensive review of literature and empirical studies, the research explores the complex relationship between women's participation in the RMG industry and the outcomes of their empowerment. The findings underscore that, while the RMG sector has created employment opportunities for a substantial number of women in developing countries like Bangladesh, the nature and extent of their empowerment experiences are shaped by factors such as workplace conditions, education, and societal norms. Recognizing these nuances is crucial for policymakers, industry stakeholders, and advocates of women's rights to formulate effective strategies that optimize the positive impact of the RMG sector on women's empowerment in BISIC, Fatullah, Narayanganj District.

Risk factors of non-specific low back pain in a rural community of Bangladesh: A case-control study

Background: Data pertaining to risk factors of nonspecific low back pain (NSLBP) among rural Bangladeshi is scarce. This study explored the risk factors associated with NSLBP among rural Bangladeshi adults. Methods: A community-based study was done in Sonargaon Upazila of Narayanganj district of Bangladesh. A total of 343 NSLBP patients were recruited as cases, based on the Bangla version of Community oriented program for control of rheumatic diseases (COPCORD) questionnaire. An equal number of age and sex matched subjects without any rheumatic disease were recruited from the same community. A total of 15 probable factors were analyzed. Age-sex adjusted univariate and age-sex with 13 risk factors adjusted multivariate conditional logistic regression analyses were done. Results: The mean age of the participants was 33.1 years old (standard deviation: 9.5). Out of 13 risk factors, history of chronic disease (OR 2.0, 95% CI 1.2 – 3.4), prolonged sitting (OR 4.6, 95% CI 2.0 – 11.0), squatting (OR 7.2, 95% CI 3.2 – 16.0), bending of the waist (OR 3.7, 95% CI 1.8 – 7.6), regular lifting or carrying a heavy load (OR 9.2, 95% CI 2.2 – 39.7), prolonged standing (OR 5.8, 95% CI 1.9 – 17.7), occupation related to strenuous physical activity (OR 0.2, 95% CI 0.1 – 0.8), overweight (body mass index &gt;=25 kg/m2) (OR 3.1, 95% CI 1.8 – 5.2) and depression (OR 2.2, 95% CI 1.4 – 3.6) were found to be significantly associated with NSLBP. Conclusions: The study generated knowledge on associated risk factors for NSLBP in rural people of Bangladesh that may facilitate an evidence-based intervention for the target group.

Fish Diversity of the Meghna River Adjacent to Sonargaon Upazila of Narayanganj District

The study was conducted to assess the diversity of fish fauna in the Meghna River close to Sonargaon upazila, Narayanganj district between December 2017 and November 2018. Some water quality parameters (temperature, pH and transparency) were measured in two selected sites (Boidyerbazar ghat and Uddamganj) of the river. In this study, a total of 58 fish species were identified, which belong to nine orders, 26 families and 41 genera. Cypriniformes was the most dominant order contributing about 34.48% of the fish species diversity. A total of 30 species were considered as of Least Concern (LC) while ten species were Near Threatened (NT), seven species were Endangered (EN), six species were Vulnerable (VU), only one species Bagarius bagarius ranked as Critically Endangered (CE) and four species were not listed according to IUCN (2015). The highest number of fish species was observed in the rainy season while the lowest was in the summer. The ranges of water temperature, pH and turbidity values in the river were 21-32 C, 6.5-8.5 and 23-42 NTU, respectively. This study indicates that the fish species diversity of the Meghna River is likely declined gradually when compared with previous studies. Bangladesh J. Zool. 50 (1): 23-35, 2022

Impact of lockdown due to COVID-19 on nutrition and food security of the selected low-income households in Bangladesh

This study aims to explore the impact of COVID-19 pandemic lockdown on household food security and the nutritional status of the children and identify the risk factors associated with it. A cross-sectional study was conducted in 220 households having at least one under 5 children of Narayanganj district in Bangladesh. Household food insecurity, coping strategies and nutritional status of children were the main outcome variables. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to investigate the significant determinants. A total of 93.2 % of households were food insecure, with 32.3% experiencing mild, 18.6% facing moderate, and 42.3% undergoing severe food insecurity. Forty seven percent households used high coping strategies and 93.2% of households consumed less expensive/preferable food as the common coping technique. Logistic regression analysis showed the variables significantly associated with moderate to severe food insecurity were low household income before COVID-19 (AOR = 46.07, CI: 13.68–155.10), more reduction of family income (AOR = 32.47, 95% CI: 9.29–113.41), maternal occupation as housewife (AOR = 7.73, CI: 2.59–23.07), losses of job (AOR = 4.28, CI: 1.31–13.98) and higher family members (AOR = 3.39, CI: 1.07–10.71). The prevalence of stunting, underweight and wasting in children under 5 years of age were 29.0%, 23.4% and 15.6%, respectively. Significantly the independent predictors of stunting were maternal occupation, education, age, household head occupation, child age, and the coping strategy score. Household dietary diversity score was an important independent predictor of underweight and wasting. In conclusion, social safety net initiatives for vulnerable households along with maternal education and employment should be strengthened to reduce hunger and malnutrition.

Nexus between Poverty and Child Labor: A Case Study in Narayanganj Area of Bangladesh Using Binary Logistic Regression

&lt;p&gt;The purpose of the study is to see how poverty influences child labor. To carry out the study, moderate poor people have been considered as respondents. Kalibazar and Langalband regions of Narayanganj district have been selected. Random sampling technique and Focused Group Discussion with children have been taken to conduct the study. Data has been collected from 50 Household Heads and 50 Children (male and female). For economic analysis, the Binary Logistic Regression model has been undertaken to see the relationship between poverty and child labor. The analysis shows that the odds ratio indicates that drop-out children from school are 11.34 times more likely to go for taking the occupation of child labor due to poverty (major cause) than those children who have been dropped out due to other reasons (reference category). The study also shows that the families having no loan are 0.444 times less likely to go for child labor due to major causes (poverty) than that of the families having a loan. Moreover, the odds ratio corresponding to the children who use their income to help their families is 3.26. It means that the children who use their income for family purposes go 3.26 times more likely to take the occupation of child labor due to a major cause (poverty) than those children who do not use their income for family purposes. At the same time, the children who use their income for treatment purposes go 1.45 times more likely to take the occupation of child labor due to poverty (a major cause) than those children who do not use their income for treatment purposes.&lt;/p&gt;

Estimation of Prevalence of Musculoskeletal Pain &amp; Rheumatic Disorders in a Rural Community of Bangladesh

Introduction: Rheumatic disorders are one of the largest health problems in the world both in developed &amp; developing countries. They are the most common causes of chronic health problems and long term physical disability, work loss and loss of income. The study was conducted among the 15 plus years aged people in selected areas based on broad objective of exploring the prevalence of rheumatic disorders.&#x0D; Materials and Methods: It was an Observational cross sectional study. The study was conducted among the people of nineteen small villages of Sonargaon upazilla in Narayanganj district, Bangladesh. This study was conducted From January 2010 to December 2011. All subjects of the defined area aged  15 years were included in this study.&#x0D; Results: The point prevalence rate of definite rheumatic disorders was 23.7%. Age, sex and occupations were associated with the overall prevalence rate. The prevalence was higher (51.8%) in older aged (65years and above) population. Females (34.5%) were affected more than males (18.6%) in this rural area.&#x0D; Conclusion: These diseases are associated with some form of disability and work loss, as well as loss of income. More community- based studies with the design for the identification of associate’s factors for individual rheumatic disease are needed. So that appropriate messages can be given to the community for prevention and treatment of rheumatic disorders.&#x0D; Medicine Today 2020 Vol.32(1): 33-36

Problems Faced by Sub Assistant Agricultural Officers in Technology Transfer

Technology transfer to farmers is essential for the improvement of agricultural production in a country like Bangladesh. In connection this issue, the study was conducted to assess the extent of problems faced by Sub Assistant Agricultural Officers (SAAOs) in technology transfer as well as explore the relationship between the selected characteristics of Sub Assistant Agricultural Officers and problems faced by them in technology transfer. The study was conducted in five sub-districts of Narayanganj district namely, Narayanganj sadar, Bandar, Sonargaon, Araihazar and Rupganj with a sample size of 129 by questionnaire method through a structured questionnaire. Spearman’s Rank Correlation Coefficient was used to test the relationship between the selected eight characteristics of SAAOs and the problems faced in technology transfer. The findings reveal that 70.50% of the SAAOs encounter high problems while 27.90% and 1.60% respondents were in medium and low problem category respectively. Spearman’s Rank Correlation Coefficient analysis also revealed that training exposure, job satisfaction and use of the internet showed a negative significant relationship with the problems faced in technology transfer. Based on Problem Faced Index (PFI), “lack of required teaching aid” ranked the highest problem followed by “lack of transportation facilities”.

Use of Internet among Rural Teenagers: Pattern of Usages, Awareness and Associated Health Hazards

Internet has become an essential tool for communication, information, and entertainment and use of internet is increasing among the teenage group. This cross sectional study was conducted among 385 teenagers from rural area of Narayanganj district in Bangladesh to evaluate the practice of internet use, their awareness about the beneficial and harmful effects and associated physical and psychological health hazards. The study reached its various findings from the view point of rural area of our country. The study population was chosen purposively; data were collected using a semi structured questionnaire regarding their knowledge and various practice of internet use relating to the objectives. Most of the respondents were students and came from lower middle class family. Majority of the study people recently started to use internet and they were mostly light or moderate user in terms of time spending. Mobile phone was used as device by 84.7% people for their internet browsing. Teenagers used internet mainly for entertainment (42.1%) and social networking (35.6%) purpose and not much for learning or education. They were aware about the beneficial and the harmful effects of internet use especially abuses. Commonly experienced physical health hazards by them were headache (11.7%), straining of eyes or blurring of vision (10.7%) and skipping meals or change in eating behavior (9.1%), and among the psychological hazards, restlessness or agitation (8%) and depression (5.2%) were stated. It may be concluded that use of internet among teenagers of rural area of our country is at modest level associated with a few health hazards but the merits of internet based networking is yet to be revealed by them.&#x0D; Bangladesh Med J. 2017 Sep; 46 (3): 69-73

Dietary pattern of the elderly people: a comparison between urban and rural communities

This is a cross sectional study conducted amongst 200 randomly selected urban and rural elderly people of age 60 to 90 years. The group of urban sample was selected randomly in Dhaka city. The rural group was randomly selected from villages of Sonargaon thana under Narayanganj district. The location was selected purposively. The purpose of this study was to investigate the dietary pattern of the elderly people. Dietary data was collected by a 24-hour recall method along with a seven days food consumption frequency. AU urban and rural participants were found to consume rice, cooking oil and iodized salt every day. More than half (51%) of the urban elderly people were found to take pulse or legumes 3-6 days per week. On the other hand, half (50%) of the rural elderly people were found to take pulse or legumes only 1-2 days per week. Majority of the urban (74%) and rural (73%) elderly people were found to take small fish 1-2 days per week. A good percentage of urban (68%) and rural (62%) elderly people were found to take big fish1-2 days per week. About 33% of urban and 31% of rural elderly people were found never to take milk in a week. Twenty nine percent urban and 19% rural elderly people were found to take milk everyday in a week. A higher proportion of the urban (71%) and rural (69%) elderly people were found to take Green leafy vegetables (GLV) only1-2 days per week. A higher proportion of the urban (66%) and 56% rural elderly people were found to take citrus fruits only 1-2 days per week. Rice (p&lt;0.01) and potato (p&lt;0.05) intake was found to be significantly higher for rural elderly people as compared to their urban counterpart. In contrast wheat, milk and milk product, oil, pulse and nuts (p&lt;0.01), sugar and meat intake (p&lt;0.05) was found to be significantly higher for urban elderly people as compared to their rural counterpart. Energy, protein, fat, iron, thiamine, riboflavin and zinc intake was found to be significantly (p&lt;0.01) higher for urban elderly people as compared to the rural one. Carotene intake was found to be in a higher trend for rural elderly people as compared to their urban counterpart. Energy intake was found to be lower than the RDA for both urban and rural elderly people. Protein intake was found to be higher than the RDA for urban elderly and lower than the RDA for rural elderly people. However, the urban elderly people are better off in terms of their energy and nutrients intake as compared to their rural counterpart. Bangladesh J. Nutr. Vol. 28-31, December 2018, P: 39-45

Present Social Awareness and Economic Condition of Nomadic Bede Community at Narayanganj District in Bangladesh

The Bedes were the nomadic people lived scattered and travelled throughout Bangladesh via rivers with a cluster form. The study was conducted in Naraynganj district during the time period from January, 2014 to August, 2014. About 650 bede peoples (Male 278, female 370 and hijra 2) data were collected randomly from various places of Narayangan district like langolbond, Mugrapara, Katchpur, Gulakandail, Kanchan with a prescribed preform questionnaire format. With a view to before finalize the study, the most important basic information were observed carefully within the community and various features of their social and economic data were collected. From the study, it was assumed that the Bede community severely deprived from all types of basic needs of living both social and economic. The most significant constraints were poverty, illiteracy, premature marriage and lack of consciousness about family planning. The social acceptance was uncommon due to their living style, very tough traditional and ritual bindings to make relationship with the other out peoples. They mostly lived under the poverty line. They passed their every day with untold sorrow and sufferings. Due to illiteracy, they were not engaged with officials and others sophisticated jobs. They were deviated from the mainstream of the country economics and development. It was a preliminary work. Further studies will necessary for revealed the unseen scenario of their sorrowful life and find out the solution of major constraints. Its high time to uncover the superstitions of their community and strongly recommended to the Government and others NGO’s to introduce one stop service programs for developing the bede community both socially and economically.

Effect of a school-based oral health education in preventing untreated dental caries and increasing knowledge, attitude, and practices among adolescents in Bangladesh.

BackgroundThere is a dearth of published literature that demonstrates the impact and effectiveness of school-based oral health education (OHE) program in Bangladesh and it is one of the most neglected activities in the field of public health. Keeping this in mind, the objectives of this study were to assess the effectiveness of OHE program in: 1) increasing oral health knowledge, attitude, and practices and 2) decreasing the prevalence of untreated dental caries among 6–8 grade school students in Bangladesh.MethodsThis intervention study was conducted in Araihazar Thana, Narayanganj district, Bangladesh during April 2012 to March 2013. The total participants were 944 students from three local schools. At baseline, students were assessed for oral health knowledge, attitude and practices using a self-administered structured questionnaire and untreated dental caries was assessed using clinical examination. Follow up study was done after 6 months from baseline. McNemar’s chi-square analysis was used to evaluate the impact of OHE program on four recurrent themes of oral health between the baseline and follow-up. Multiple logistic regression analyses were used to determine the impact of the intervention group on our outcome variables.ResultsSignificant improvement was observed regarding school aged adolescents’ self-reported higher knowledge, attitude and practices scores (p < 0.001) at follow-up compared with baseline. The prevalence of untreated dental caries of the study population after the OHE program was significantly (p < 0.01) reduced to 42.5 %. Multiple logistic regression analyses showed that the OHE intervention remained a significant predictor in reducing the risk of untreated dental caries (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] =0.51; 95 % confidence interval [CI] = 0.37, 0.81). In the follow-up period participants were 2.21 times (95 % CI = 1.87, 3.45) more likely to have higher level of knowledge regarding oral health compared to baseline. Compared with baseline participants in the follow-up were 1.89 times (95 % CI = 1.44–2.87) more likely to have higher attitude towards oral health. In addition, OHE intervention was found to be significantly associated with higher level of practices toward oral health (AOR = 1.64; 95 % CI = 1.12, 3.38).ConclusionsThis study indicated that OHE intervention was effective in increasing i) knowledge, ii) attitude, and iii) practices towards oral health; it also significantly reduced the prevalence of untreated dental caries among school aged adolescents from grade 6–8 in a deprived rural area of Bangladesh.

Detection of Residual Levels and Associated Health Risk of Seven Pesticides in Fresh Eggplant and Tomato Samples from Narayanganj District, Bangladesh

Residual levels of seven frequently used pesticides were investigated in 140 samples of two common vegetables, eggplants and tomatoes, from agricultural fields in the Narayanganj district of Bangladesh. The analysis of pesticide residues was performed by high-performance liquid chromatography with photodiode array detection. A large percentage of the eggplants (50%) and tomatoes (60%) from the Narayanganj district were contaminated with pesticides, and all of the levels were above themaximum residual limit(MRL) proposed by the EC regulation. Diazinon was the most common (35%) pesticide detected in the vegetable samples at a concentration of 45–450 times higher than the MRL. The health risk index for diazinon was highest for both eggplant and tomato samples, which may be due to its physiochemical properties. Fenitrothion and linuron are the two second most common types of pesticides detected in the vegetable samples. Regular monitoring of the use of common pesticides on vegetables should be conducted.

Impacts of Textile Dyeing Industries Effluents on Surface Water Quality: A Study on Araihazar Thana in Narayanganj District of Bangladesh

The present experiment was carried out to study the impacts of effluents discharged from Textile Mills on surface water around the discharge area located at Araihazar Thana in Narayanganj District of Bangladesh. The water samples were collected from ten different locations of Araihazar Thana by random sampling method and were analyzed for various physico-chemical, chemical and toxic metal quality parameters includes EC, TDS, DO, BOD, Na + , Cl, Ca 2+ , Mg 2+ , NH + , NO 3 , HCO 3 , SO 2 , PO 3 , Cr, Pb, Cd. The surface water was found slightly acidic. In the investigation, the concentrations of EC, TDS, BOD, Na + , Cl, NH + , NO 3 , HCO 3 , SO 2 , PO 3 of the collected water samples were found higher than the standard levels. The concentration of toxic metals such as Cd, Cr and Pb of the surface water samples were also found higher than the permissible level. Significant correlations were also observed among various important water quality parameters of the surface water. Most of these parameters, as found in this study, suggested the collected water is unsuitable for drinking, domestic and irrigation purposes. An effective implementation of sustainable water and waste management plan including proper treatment of both waste water and industrial effluents is essential to protect the ecosystem and also to prevent further deterioration of the surface water quality of this area.

Can HRM Practices Improve Job Satisfaction of Ready Made Garment (RMG) Workers in Bangladesh? An Alternative Solution to Recent Unrest

Labor unrest in RMG sector of Bangladesh has become a major problem in trade and finance due to whichorganizations are losing their business. RMG workers are not so happy with their employers because of improperlabor practices. However, employee’s job satisfaction is an important factor for organizational success. ThroughHRM practices, organizations try to increase satisfaction among the employees for goal achievement. Theobjective of this study is to examine the relationship among financial, non financial HRM practices and jobsatisfaction of RMG workers in order to reduce unrest. For this study, 35 different RMG companies have beenchosen on convenient basis around Dhaka, Gazipur and Narayanganj district of Bangladesh. This study adoptsregress method under 200 questionnaires survey where data have been collected from both managerial and nonmanagerial workers. Present study has found that both financial and non-financial job factors are making theworkers satisfied, so that they are less likely to involve in labor unrest.