Netrakona District Research Articles

Tobacco consumption and the poor: An ethnographic analysis of hand-rolled cigarette (bidi) use in Bangladesh

Bidis, or hand-rolled, filterless tobacco cigarettes, are largely marketed to and consumed by the poor in Bangladesh. In exploring perceived rationales and the situational contexts of smoking, this study identifies the crucial connections between bidi smoking and the social and economic forces that influence choices and shape the contexts of individual suffering. Ethnographic research in Netrakona District revealed that inexpensive bidis were used to gain relief from physical ailments specific to the poor, such as hunger, indigestion and constipation. Bidis were found to be a socially accepted mood-altering drug that symbolizes relief from their everyday tensions, angers, perceived exploitations and disappointments. I argue that both cultural norms of reciprocity and hierarchy as well as the socio-economic structure of Bangladesh with its inequality, poverty and exploitation contribute to the tobacco consumption and related health problems of the poor.

Vaccination status of tribal mothers and their under five children

A study was done to find out the vaccination status of the tribal mothers and their under 5 children in some selected villages of Durgapur upazila under Netrakona district. It was a cross sectional study in which 92 tribal mothers and 91 under 5 children were included. The study was carried out in 4 different tribal villages under Netrakona district from February to June 2001. According to National EPI schedule, it was revealed that 58.2% of the children were fully vaccinated, 26.4% incompletely and 15.4% not vaccinated. The individual vaccine coverage was 84.6% for BCG, 68.1% for OPV and DPT, 58.2% for Measles. Considering the literacy, most of the respondents (78.3%) were illiterate and 21.7% had some basic education. None of the mother completed 5 doses of TT coverage. The individual TT coverage was found 78.3% for TT(1), 67.4% for TT(2), 17.4% for TT(3) and 1.1% for TT(4). This study observed that the vaccination status in the tribal children was satisfactory in relation to National coverage, but the vaccination status of the tribal mothers was not satisfactory in our national context.