Research In Bangladesh Research Articles

Factor Structure for Organizational Police Stress Questionnaire (PSQ-Org) in Bangladeshi Culture

The importance of the organizational police stress research has increased in recent times. One important measure of organizational police stress is the Organizational Police Stress Questionnaire (PSQ-Org; was McCreary & Thompson, 2006). The purpose of the present study was to translate the measure into Bangla and validate in Bangladeshi Culture. A total of 210 police officers participated in this survey. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) of the data from 160 participants (who provided complete responses) identified four factor structures for PSQ-Org with 14 items. The four factors for PSQ-Org namely 'Poor management and bureaucracy', 'Lack of manpower and resources', 'Feelings of excessive duty and being supervised' and 'Lack of leisure time and negative evaluations' together explained 55.14% of the total variance. The PSQ-Org showed moderate to high internal consistency (Cronbach's α =.80 for PSQ-Org; and .57 to .66 for its factors) strong translation validity and convergent validity. Thus, the Bangla version PSQ-Org appears to be a valid and reliable measure that can be used for further research in Bangladesh.

Community-level correlates of physical violence against unmarried female adolescents in Bangladesh

BackgroundWhile the majority of research in Bangladesh has focused on intimate partner violence (IPV) against women, less is known about the correlates of physical violence against unmarried female adolescents, particularly community-level characteristics that may increase their risk of experiencing violence.MethodsWe used multilevel logistic regression analysis to assess the variability in physical violence against unmarried female adolescents at the community level and to explore the role of community-level characteristics in explaining this variability. The data for this analysis were taken from a 2005 nationally representative survey of 20,000 adolescents aged 10 to 24 living in Bangladesh. Data from 4,370 unmarried female adolescents were included in the final model.ResultsCommunities in Bangladesh have, on average, high levels of physical violence against unmarried female adolescents, and these levels vary widely across communities. Community-level acceptance of physical punishment against adolescents was related to unmarried female adolescents’ risk of experiencing physical violence.ConclusionsIt is important to find and target communities in which unmarried adolescent girls are at higher risk of experiencing physical violence. Programs and policies must focus specifically on changing attitudes regarding treatment of women and girls. As these attitudes accepting of physical violence are found in adolescents aged 10 to 19, school and community-based programs should particularly target this age group.

FLOOD VULNERABILITY AND ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE IN BANGLADESH: A REVIEW

This paper reviews recent literature on flood research in Bangladesh, focusing on the nation's vulnerability to climate change and its ability to adapt. This review reveals that the literature on community-based vulnerability and adaptation, and their processes and assessments in response to hazards under climate change regimes are inadequate, apart from a recent focus on assessment of the vulnerability of rural communities, their ability to adapt their farming methods, or the economic consequences of failure to adapt in response to extreme flood events, e.g. Younus (2012a,b); Younus and Harvey (2013, 2014). This paper argues that an integrated assessment of rural vulnerability and community-based adaptation is needed in order to ensure sustainable changes in response to future climate change regimes in Bangladesh.

When Sexuality is in a Research Topic! The Methodological Challenges in Sexuality and Street Healing Research in Bangladesh

This paper is a bridge between two studies by the author: (i) completed MA research; and (ii) on-going PhD research, on male sexual health and the street healing system in Bangladesh. Street healing, a traditional healing system in Bangladesh, is at the centre of the studies. This is a popular form of folk healing in Bangladesh, where male impotency is a central issue. The author has been researching street healing to understand male sexual health-seeking behaviour in Bangladesh. In this paper, the author brings in experiences from his MA research to explore the challenges of studying sexuality and street healing in Bangladesh and concludes by describing his plan to address those issues in his on-going PhD research.

Plant taxonomic research in Bangladesh (1972-2012): A critical review

Amid serious concerns over declining taxonomic research world-wide, Bangladesh showed positive trends over 1972-2002. Some important developments in the global arena over the last decade give a mixed view on the growth of taxonomic research. This demands revisiting Bangladesh’s plant taxonomic research to identify major factors guiding its courses. Taxonomic papers published in three Bangladeshi journals and the Flora of Bangladesh (1972-2012) were analyzed using a scoring system. The present study reveals a four-fold increase in annual average of integrated taxonomic studies (those use knowledge of other branches of biology) over the last decade compared with the preceding decade. Conventional, inventory type taxonomic studies, on the other hand, has reduced by 15%. Studies on algae showed 42% increase in annual average, while studies on angiosperms remained unchanged. Although unpublished researches like Master’s theses increased significantly in recent years, the number of published work has decreased. The possible reasons for such decline are no net increase in plant taxonomists over the last decade, taxonomists struggling to transform researches into publishable manuscripts, and enhanced reputation of Bangladeshi journals increasing the proportion of foreign papers (a situation termed as ‘reputational backlash’). The paper envisages that classical taxonomic studies will dominate in Bangladesh in the coming decades given the enormous exploratory task awaiting the taxonomists. It concludes that to put taxonomy in the sustainable development discourse, taxonomists must change their perception towards their role in the society and proactively share their work with wider audience.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bjpt.v20i2.17404Bangladesh J. Plant Taxon. 20(2): 267-279, 2013

Positionality and transformative knowledge in conducting ‘feminist’ research on empowerment in Bangladesh

Synopsis This article is based on the experiences and reflections of a group of researchers in Bangladesh (of which we were members) studying women's empowerment. We investigate the kinds of epistemological and ethical dilemmas that arose from how they selectively presented their identities to gain access and tried to create ‘positional spaces’ in conducting fieldwork. We also explore how these researchers engaged in co-production of knowledge with research participants and tried to balanced our multiple accountabilities in this process. By exploring these issues, we analyze assumptions about ‘feminist’ research practices and our struggles to live up to these. Based on this analysis we argue that there is scope for exploring individual identity based positionality in the following areas that are less studied in feminist methodology literature: a) how research dynamics are affected when participants are more powerful than [feminist] researchers, and b) the nature of discomforts that [feminist] researchers experience when they engage with participants who espouse to different gender ideologies. We also explore how transformative research is linked to co-production, politics of representation and processual reflexivity (i.e., how and by whom what kind of knowledge is produced; Nagar & Geiger, 2007). We argue that these issues have implications for how we research women's empowerment in developing country contexts.

Ongoing Trials of Simplified Antibiotic Regimens for the Treatment of Serious Infections in Young Infants in South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa

Background:The current World Health Organization (WHO) recommendation for treatment of severe infection in young infants is hospitalization and parenteral antibiotic therapy. Hospital care is generally not available outside large cities in low- and middle-income countries and even when available is not acceptable or affordable for many families. Previous research in Bangladesh and India demonstrated that treatment outside hospitals may be possible.Research:A set of research studies with common protocols testing simplified antibiotic regimens that can be provided at the lowest-level health-care facility or at home are nearing completion. The studies are large individually randomized controlled trials that are set up in the context of a program, which provides home visits by community health workers to detect serious illness in young infants with assessment and treatment at an outpatient health facility near home. This article summarizes the policy implications of the research studies.Policy Implications:The studies are expected to result in information that would inform WHO guidelines on simple, safe and effective regimens for the treatment of clinical severe infection and pneumonia in newborns and young infants in settings where referral is not possible. The studies will also inform the inputs and process required to establish outpatient treatment of newborn and young infant infections at health facilities near the home. We expect that the information from research and the resulting WHO guidelines will form the basis of policy dialogue by a large number of stakeholders at the country level to implement outpatient treatment of neonatal infections and thereby reduce neonatal and infant mortality resulting from infection.

Cross-cultural adaptation of the short-form condom attitude scale: validity assessment in a sub-sample of rural-to-urban migrant workers in Bangladesh

BackgroundThe reliable and valid measurement of attitudes towards condom use are essential to assist efforts to design population specific interventions aimed at promoting positive attitude towards, and increased use of condoms. Although several studies, mostly in English speaking western world, have demonstrated the utility of condom attitude scales, very limited culturally relevant condom attitude measures have been developed till to date. We have developed a scale and evaluated its psychometric properties in a sub-sample of rural-to-urban migrant workers in Bangladesh.MethodsThis paper reports mostly on cross-sectional survey components of a mixed methods sexual health research in Bangladesh. The survey sample (n = 878) comprised rural-to-urban migrant taxi drivers (n = 437) and restaurant workers (n = 441) in Dhaka (aged 18–35 years). The study also involved focus group sessions with same populations to establish the content validity and cultural equivalency of the scale. The current scale was administered with a large sexual health survey questionnaire and consisted of 10 items. Quantitative and qualitative data were assessed with statistical and thematic analysis, respectively, and then presented.ResultsThe participants found the scale simple and easy to understand and use. The internal consistency (α) of the scale was 0.89 with high construct validity (the first component accounted for about 52% of variance and second component about 20% of the total variance with an Eigen-value for both factors greater than one). The test-retest reliability (repeatability) was also found satisfactory with high inter-item correlations (the majority of the intra-class correlation coefficient values was above 2 and was significant for all items on the scale, p < 0.001). The 2-week repeatability assessed by the Pearson product–moment correlation coefficient was 0.75.ConclusionThe results indicated that Bengali version of the scale have good metric properties for assessing attitudes toward condom use. Validated scale is a short, simple and reliable instrument for measuring attitudes towards condom use in vulnerable populations like current study sample. This culturally-customized scale can be used to monitor the progress of condom uptake and promotion activities in Bangladesh or similar settings.

Loss and damage from climate change: local-level evidence from nine vulnerable countries

Loss and damage is already a significant consequence of inadequate ability to adapt to changes in climate patterns. This paper reports on the first ever multi-country, evidence-based study on loss and damage from the perspective of affected people in least developed and other vulnerable countries. Researchers in Bangladesh, Bhutan, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, the Gambia, Kenya, Micronesia, Mozambique and Nepal conducted household surveys (n=3,269) and more than a hundred focus group discussions and open interviews about loss and damage. The research reveals four loss and damage pathways. Residual impacts of climate stressors occur when: 1) existing coping/adaptation to biophysical impact is not enough; 2) measures have costs (including non-economic) that cannot be regained; 3) despite short-term merits, measures have negative effects in the longer term; or 4) no measures are adopted - or possible - at all.

“I Want to Be Respected”: Migration, Mobility, and the Construction of Alternate Educational Discourses in Rural Bangladesh

In a context of globalization, individual aspirations transcend the local as people seek to move to distant locations to fulfill their own as well as larger social expectations. Formal schooling often does not lead to the acquisition of appropriate knowledge or relevant skills to attaining these aspirations, making students opt for vocational or other specialist skills. Based on empirical research in Bangladesh, this paper explores the meanings of learning, both formal and informal, for young men aspiring to social and economic mobility. Theoretically, the paper demonstrates the ways in which learning is situated within social institutions and the power relationships therein and constituted jointly by the agent, the activity, and the larger global context.

Insights from Natural Infection-Derived Immunity to Cholera Instruct Vaccine Efforts

Insights from Natural Infection-Derived Immunity to Cholera Instruct Vaccine Efforts

NGOs and the Political Empowerment of Poor People in Rural Bangladesh: Cultivating the Habits of Democracy?

Recent research in Bangladesh highlights an interesting paradox: impressive development outcomes combined with extremely poor quality of governance. The country’s active development NGO sector has been credited with some of the more positive development achievements. The question that this paper sets out to address is why the sector has not made an equivalent contribution on the governance front. It draws on primary survey data to explore the hypothesis that the problem lies in the increasing homogenization of NGOs around the delivery of services, primarily microfinance services, and its shift away from social mobilization organizations.

A ‘Lost Generation’? Impacts of Complex Compound Crises on Children and Young People

How has the well‐being of children and young people been affected by the global food, fuel and financial crises that have struck since 2007? This article reports empirical findings from qualitative research in Bangladesh, Indonesia, Jamaica, Kenya, Yemen and Zambia in 2009 and 2010. Intended to complement the wider body of mainly quantitative evidence, it explores how the subjective and relational dimensions of human well‐being have been affected as children and families have sought to survive and thrive amidst complex, compound crises, and concludes that monitoring their impacts affords important insights into how these foundational experiences could have enduring consequences in the longer term.

Strategies for capacity building for health research in Bangladesh: Role of core funding and a common monitoring and evaluation framework

BackgroundThere is increasing interest in building the capacity of researchers in low and middle income countries (LMIC) to address their national priority health and health policy problems. However, the number and variety of partnerships and funding arrangements can create management problems for LMIC research institutes. This paper aims to identify problems faced by a health research institute in Bangladesh, describe two strategies developed to address these problems, and identify the results after three years of implementation.MethodsThis paper uses a mixture of quantitative and qualitative data collected during independent annual reviews of the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (ICDDR,B) between 2006 and 2010. Quantitative data includes the number of research activities according to strategic priority areas, revenues collected and expenditure. Qualitative data includes interviews of researchers and management of ICDDR,B, and of research users and key donors. Data in a Monitoring and Evaluation Framework (MEF) were assessed against agreed indicators.ResultsThe key problems faced by ICDDR,B in 2006 were insufficient core funds to build research capacity and supporting infrastructure, and an inability to direct research funds towards the identified research priorities in its strategic plan. Two strategies were developed to address these problems: a group of donors agreed to provide unearmarked pooled core funding, and accept a single common report based on an agreed MEF. On review after three years, there had been significant increases in total revenue, and the ability to allocate greater amounts of money on capacity building and infrastructure. The MEF demonstrated progress against strategic objectives, and better alignment of research against strategic priorities. There had also been changes in the sense of ownership and collaboration between ICDDR,B's management and its core donors.ConclusionsThe changes made to funding relationships supported and monitored by an effective MEF enabled the organisation to better align funding with research priorities and to invest in capacity building. This paper identified key issues for capacity building for health research in low and middle income countries. The findings have relevance to other research institutes in similar contexts to advocate and support research capacity strengthening efforts.

Pregnant women's and community health workers' perceptions of root causes of malnutrition among infants and young children in the slums of Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Research in Bangladesh shows that malnutrition among infants and young children is most severe in urban slums. We examined the root causes of malnutrition as perceived by pregnant women and community health workers. We conducted 10 focus group discussions in the slums of Dhaka in 2008 and 2009. Participants accurately perceived inappropriate care, inappropriate environment, inappropriate food, and flooding to be major causes. Recurrent flooding has not traditionally been identified by experts as a cause of malnutrition. We recommend further research to address the nutritional risks flooding creates for vulnerable slum populations.

Islamic piety against the family: from ‘traditional’ to ‘pure’ Islam

One might suppose that a foundational element of proper Muslim behaviour is respect for one’s parents. However, it is not unusual in the contemporary Islamic world, both in Muslim-majority countries and in the diaspora, for young people to be much more ‘Islamic’ in behaviour, dress and lifestyle than their parents. As this may suggest, modernist Islamic piety is not infrequently directed by young people against their parents, as a mode of resistance to parental authority. However, wearing the hijab, becoming a follower of a Sufi shaykh, or marrying a ‘good’ Muslim spouse from another ethnic group to one’s own, are different kinds of resistance from, for example, joining an inner-city youth gang, or rejecting one’s parents’ Asian cultural background for a more globalised identity. I discuss some of the ways in which Islamic piety can be deployed in resistance to parental authority through case studies from my Economic and Social Research Council-funded field research in Bangladesh and the UK, and consider in what ways these forms of behaviour resemble, and differ from, more familiar forms of resistance.

The potential of mobile remittances for the bottom of the pyramid: findings from emerging Asia

PurposeThis paper aims to explore the extent to which low‐income migrant workers in emerging Asia are aware of and are likely to use mobile phones for remitting money to family members at home.Design/methodology/approachData were obtained through a survey of 1,500+ local and overseas migrant workers at the bottom of the socio‐economic pyramid and subsequent qualitative research in Bangladesh, Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, the Philippines and Thailand.FindingsFindings reveal that less than a quarter of respondents in India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka were aware of such services. However, the Philippines and Thailand reported awareness of levels of over 40 percent. Using a logit model to assess socio‐economic characteristics of those aware of such services (versus those who are not), findings revealed those aware of such services tended to enjoy higher standards of living, in terms of both income and education and ownership of mobile phones and bank accounts. Barriers to use are also explored.Originality/valueThis study is likely one of the first of its kind in attempting to empirically estimate socio‐economic characteristics of those aware of such services versus those who are not. Such findings can, undoubtedly prove useful to operators in deciding how best to market such services, including addressing potential barriers to use, such as perceived ease of use and trust and reliability issues.

Asbestos-Related Disease in Banlgadeshi Ship Breakers: A Pilot Study

A pilot study tested the feasibility of conducting occupational health research in Bangladesh while examining prevalence of asbestos-related diseases including asbestosis, work-related respiratory symptoms, and attitudes to occupational health and safety among a group of internal migrant ship breakers. Data was collected on clinical and work history, respiratory symptoms, and occupational health and safety practices in Bengali. A B-reader read all postero-anterior chest x-rays. In the 104 male ship breakers studied, prevalence of asbestos-related disease was 12%, of which asbestosis accounted for 6%. Knowledge of asbestos and occupational health and safety measures were almost nonexistent. The prevalence of asbestos-related diseases is low compared to studies in shipbuilders and repairers, but a risk underestimate could have resulted from challenges identified during study design and implementation including: industry noncooperation and a culture of corruption; technological and language barriers; and a regional lack of physician knowledge and research on occupational diseases.

Asbestos-Related Disease in Banlgadeshi Ship Breakers: A Pilot Study

A pilot study tested the feasibility of conducting occupational health research in Bangladesh while examining prevalence of asbestos-related diseases including asbestosis, work-related respiratory symptoms, and attitudes to occupational health and safety among a group of internal migrant ship breakers. Data was collected on clinical and work history, respiratory symptoms, and occupational health and safety practices in Bengali. A B-reader read all postero-anterior chest x-rays. In the 104 male ship breakers studied, prevalence of asbestos-related disease was 12 %, of which asbestosis accounted for 6%. Knowledge of asbestos and occupational health and safety measures were almost nonexistent. The prevalence of asbestos-related diseases is low compared to studies in shipbuilders and repairers, but a risk underestimate could have resulted from challenges identified during study design and implementation including: industry noncooperation and a culture of corruption; technological and language barriers; and a regional lack of physician knowledge and research on occupational diseases.

Big publishers cut access to journals in poor countries

The world's main system for allowing free access to scientific journals in low-income countries seems to be falling apart as big publishers withdraw. At the beginning of 2011, researchers in Bangladesh, one of the world's poorest countries, received a letter announcing that four big publishers would no longer be allowing free access to their 2500 journals through the Health InterNetwork for Access to Research Initiative (HINARI) system. It emerged later that other countries are also affected. This is a major step backwards for science, health, and development in low-income countries, and we urge the publishers to reconsider.