This paper examines the role of development NGOs (nongovernmental organizations) in furthering the political participation of the poor, with data from Bangladesh and Nepal. The topic is discussed from three aspects: the role of NGOs in prodemocracy movements, the issues raised by antiglobalization movements, and the extent of NGO involvement in local government elections. The paper draws on fieldwork conducted in two villages—one in Bangladesh and the other in Nepal. It is concluded that development NGOs tend to contribute more to elite interests than to the democratic political participation of the poor.

The groups deliberately formed by nongovernmental organizations to organize the poor for their development are often subgrouped for better performance. In this connection, the study investigates the extent subgroups contribute to group performance, the mechanisms that lead to the contribution of subgroups to group performance, and changes in the contribution of subgroups to the performance of a group. Altogether 239 Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee groups, i.e., village organizations (VOs), with and without subgroups were investigated. The VOs with subgroups performed better than those without subgroups. The performance of the VOs with subgroups, however, declined over time. One of the reasons why effectiveness of VOs with subgroups declined was the belief that pursuing subgroup responsibilities would not bring any personal gain for members.

Through observation of two programs in broiler rearing and silk production implemented by a Bangladesh nongovernmental organization (NGO), this article explores what role an NGO can play as an intermediary in business development for the poor with focus on the relations between the NGO and local elites. In theory, as market demand for a product or service increases, the business attracts more interest from local elites, to whom all the benefits tend to go in the end. However, the two cases suggest feasible ways for the poor with intermediary to open up a business opportunity in the elite-controlled rural economy: market differentiation and the use of a stagnant industry. As a result, new NGO–elite relations emerge. Considering the limited life of such relations, efforts should be concentrated on enabling the poor to make the most of the business opportunity in the short term under the new NGO–elite relations.

Female labor migration for livelihood is becoming a common phenomenon in migrant-sending countries. Although female workers migrate with a temporary contract for a better livelihood, they are experienced with various exploitations and difficulties while working abroad. Therefore, many female migrants returned to the country from the Middle East, and they faced enormous challenges in reintegration. Thus, this paper critically reviews the role of migration-related NGOs in the reintegration of returned female migrants in Bangladesh. It also explores the critical limitations of the NGO’s approach to this reintegration. The paper is qualitative research that includes primary and secondary data. Primary data were collected through face-to-face in-depth interviews with 27 participants. The paper also employs secondary data from articles, books, and reports of migration-focused NGOs. Based on the findings from data, the paper argues that the migration-focused NGOs in Bangladesh positively impact the reintegration of Bangladeshi returned female migrants by providing economic assistance, social, psychological, and legal support to returned women, entrepreneurship training, social mobilization strategies, and grassroots-level activities. The data also show that the migration-focused NGOs in Bangladesh face challenges in the reintegration of many returned women due to the NGOs’ aid dependency, a lack of comprehensive actions, shortage of funds, required resources, lack of coordination, socioeconomic structure, stigma, and religious issues. Finally, the paper includes some policy suggestions that would be helpful for the NGO’s approach to reintegrating returned women migrants.

Groundwater iron varies geographically and iron intake through drinking water can minimise iron deficiency (ID). Rice, a major share of daily meals (∼70% of total energy) in Bangladesh, absorbs a substantial amount of water. This study aimed to estimate the contribution of groundwater iron entrapped in cooked rice and its implications on the recommended iron intake. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 25 households, selected by the iron content of their drinking groundwater source in Sirajganj district, Bangladesh. Each household pre-supplied with 600 g of raw rice (300 g for each cooking), was instructed to cook ‘water-draining rice’ (WDR) and ‘water-sitting rice’ (WSR). Using atomic absorption spectrophotometry, iron content in filtered and non-filtered water was measured as 0.4 ± 0.2 mg/L and 6.1 ± 2.0 mg/L, respectively. After adjusting for water filtration, the weighted mean of total iron content in WDR and WSR was 6.18 mg and 5.70 mg, respectively. Assuming the average rice intake, iron content in WDR and WSR fulfilled approximately 98.15% and 90.62% of the average requirement for non-pregnant and non-lactating women (NPNL). The water-entrapped iron in cooked WDR and WSR fulfilled about 23.77% and 20.4% of Recommended Dietary Allowances, and 52.83% and 45.30% of Estimated Average Requirements, respectively in NPNL women, suggesting that groundwater entrapped in cooked rice is an influential dietary iron source. The substantial amount of iron from cooked rice can make an additional layer to the environmental contribution of iron in this setting with the potential to contribute ID prevention.

Mental health symptoms pose a significant vulnerability to stressful life events among currently married women, adversely impacting their overall well-being and quality of life. This study explores the spatial patterns and factors associated with anxiety, depressive symptoms and the co-occurrence of both symptoms among currently married women of reproductive age in Bangladesh. This study utilised data from 13,372 (weighted) currently married women aged 15–49 years in the Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey (BDHS) 2022, which used a cross-sectional design. Multivariable logistic regression models determined the associated factors. Additionally, spatial distribution and hotspot analysis were conducted using ArcGIS version 10.8. The weighted prevalence of moderate to severe anxiety, depressive symptoms and co-occurrence of anxiety and depressive (CAD) symptoms among currently married women of reproductive age was 4.1% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 3.8%, 4.5%), 4.8% (95% CI: 4.7%, 5.4%) and 2.2% (95% CI: 2.1%, 2.6%), respectively. Clustering of anxiety symptoms (Moran’s I = 0.063, p < 0.001), depressive symptoms (I = 0.091, p < 0.001) and CAD symptoms (I = 0.082, p < 0.001) were observed, with hotspots in Rangpur, Sylhet and Chittagong regions. Logistics regression analysis shows that currently married women who were living in the Barishal, Khulna, Rangpur and Sylhet regions, who belong to households with a higher wealth index, who experienced high levels of intimate partner violence (IPV), have completed high school, who are sexually inactive and whose husbands are unemployed, were more likely to experience CAD symptoms. Additionally, currently married women of reproductive age, whose age was 25–34 years, who are labourers, whose pregnancies are terminated and who have ≥5 children ever born, are at a higher risk of having anxiety symptoms. Besides, currently married women aged 25–34 years and 35–44 years, who are underweight, were more likely to have depressive symptoms. The findings highlight a significant regional disparity in the burden of anxiety, depressive and CAD symptoms among currently married women of reproductive age in Bangladesh. These findings can help design site-specific programmes and actions for women in the hot spot areas of Rangpur, Sylhet and Chittagong.

Rapid population declines of three species of Gyps vultures endemic to Asia were caused by unintentional poisoning by the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) diclofenac. Despite a ban on its veterinary use across South Asia, diclofenac has continued to be supplied for this purpose. Here, we report updated results from undercover pharmacy surveys, conducted between 2012 and 2024, in India, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Pakistan to investigate the availability and prevalence of veterinary NSAIDs. The purpose was to establish whether sales of diclofenac had continued and to determine which other veterinary NSAIDs were available. In India, the availability of diclofenac had declined in all Vulture Safe Zones (VSZs), but it was still readily available (up to 25% of sales) in Rajasthan where intensive conservation advocacy had not occurred. Elsewhere in the region, prevalence of diclofenac was low. The vulture-safe meloxicam continued to be the most commonly available veterinary NSAID throughout most of the region, especially in Nepal (85–100%), but still accounted for only 25–45% of products offered in other countries. In Bangladesh, the vulture-toxic ketoprofen was the most prevalent drug overall, but levels declined to a low level (<1% in 2024), following the nationwide ban on veterinary use of the drug in 2023. Fourteen different NSAIDs were recorded in our surveys, several of which are known or suspected to be toxic to vultures. Of special concern is a rapid increase in the prevalence of flunixin in Bangladesh. Flunixin has not been banned in any of the South Asian vulture range states. Conservation priorities should include awareness campaigns, stronger measures to implement current bans, safety-testing of other NSAIDs, especially flunixin, followed by bans on veterinary use of all NSAIDs found to be toxic to vultures. Prior evidence of safety to vultures should be a requirement for the licensing of all new veterinary NSAIDs.

Despite high rates of intimate partner violence (IPV) among women, research on its mental health consequences, particularly PTSD in slum settings, remains scarce. This study assessed PTSD prevalence and determinants among slum-dwelling women in Bangladesh who experienced IPV during the COVID-19 pandemic. A cross-sectional study was conducted between July and October 2022 among 291 women from 5 urban slums in Dhaka, who reported IPV using the World Health Organisation questionnaire. Face-to-face interviews collected sociodemographic data, pandemic-related challenges, gender roles, health information and PTSD symptoms using the validated Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Checklist-5. Logistic regression identified PTSD predictors. Most women were married before the age of 18 years (87.9%), unemployed (69.3%), had no formal schooling (38.6%) and lived in overcrowded households (38.6%). Over half of their husbands were daily wage earners (57.9%) and had a history of substance misuse (65.9%). PTSD prevalence was 21.16% and was higher among women with non-communicable diseases (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 3.29; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.6–6.7), concern about COVID-19 infection (AOR: 3.87; 95% CI: 1.12–13.22) and increased marital arguments (AOR: 3.00; 95% CI: 1.57–5.74). IPV in slum settings imposes a significant PTSD burden, highlighting the need for community-based mental health services to support marginalised women.

While much has been written about urban-educated women’s veiling in recent decades, the proliferation of veiling, or wearing a burqa, among ordinary rural women has received little attention. This paper is an attempt at such an inquiry in the context of Bangladesh. It juxtaposes historical, literary, and theological resources with recently collected ethnographic and interview data to show how the landscape of veiling has radically transformed in rural Bangladesh and suggests that ordinary rural women’s veiling cannot be interpreted as either their choice or an imposition on them. It illustrates how women choose to don a veil in compliance with the community’s expectations while simultaneously resisting its prescription of putting on a specific pattern of burqa. In other words, the paper shows how veiling has become a site for women’s complex negotiations with community norms, liberal women’s rights discourse, and legal regimes. This negotiation process, it argues, constructs women as distinct subjects who are neither liberal nor Islamic but are constantly in the process of self-constitution.

Bangladesh’s handloom weaving industry, a vital cultural and economic asset, employs approximately one million rural workers and generates over 10 billion Bangladeshi taka (~82 million USD) annually. Despite its importance, the mental health of handloom weavers, locally known as Tatis, remains largely unexamined. This perspective article, based on a narrative review of existing literature synthesizing peer-reviewed studies, reports and policy documents on mental health in informal sectors, explores the mental health challenges faced by these workers. Using a syndemics framework, it draws on data on garment workers and the broader informal sector, which indicates heightened risks of stress, anxiety and depression resulting from long working hours, low wages and competition from mechanized looms. These risks are compounded by systemic barriers, including Bangladesh’s allocation of only 0.44% of its health budget to mental health (2021), a severe shortage of professionals (0.16 psychiatrists per 100,000 people and 0.34 psychologist per 100,000 people) and pervasive cultural stigma. Additionally, musculoskeletal pain, which affects 82.4% of weavers, places a particularly heavy burden on women, who constitute half of the workforce, further exacerbating mental health vulnerabilities through syndemic interactions with poverty and gender inequities. To address this neglected crisis, the article proposes a novel intervention framework aligned with the Double Diamond design model. The framework integrates community-based mental health hubs, peer-led support networks and digital platforms tailored to Bangladesh’s collectivist culture. It calls for increased funding, workplace reforms, stigma reduction campaigns and targeted research, highlighting the dual benefit of improving weavers’ well-being and sustaining the long-term future of the industry.

With over 17 million children learning English, Bangladesh has one of the world’s largest English-learning populations. However, despite this, the country faces challenges in achieving the optimal level of English proficiency. English language teaching (ELT) initiatives in Bangladesh, which have evolved over time, can be broadly classified based on the Grammar-Translation Method, Communicative Language Teaching, and the English in Action project. These approaches predominantly reinforced traditional monolingual and bilingual frameworks while overlooking the rich metalinguistic, cultural, and intellectual resources that students bring to English classrooms. This article critically examines past ELT efforts, policies and their outcomes through a translanguaging lens, which challenges the rigid language separation ideology in traditional models and encourages the use of all linguistic repertoires in learning English as a target language. This article provides fresh perspectives on the strengths and weaknesses of past initiatives, as well as suggestions for developing linguistically and culturally sustainable ELT models based on translanguaging scholarship.

Suicide prevention is an under-prioritised public health issue in Bangladesh. Recently, it has received academic attention substantiated by an increasing number of publications. Along with that, the Mental Health Act (2018), National Mental Health Policy (2022) and National Mental Health Strategic Plan (2020–2030) have come out. There are many challenges facing suicide prevention efforts in the country, such as suicide’s criminal legal status and associated stigma, lack of a national suicide prevention programme, inadequate clinical services, and most important, the absence of a national database on suicide. This paper analyses documents critically considering initiatives for suicide prevention, highlights the urgent necessity for suicide prevention strategies in the country and identifies prominent stakeholders. A national suicide database in which law enforcement agencies have a prominent stake is urgently needed. In the long term, suicide prevention should be considered in the lens of public health.

The objective of this study was to explore the knowledge and attitudes regarding seafood safety and consumption, along with preferences and environmental issues in coastal Bangladesh. A cross-sectional, consumer-based survey was conducted in Bangladesh from September to November 2023, targeting 1100 participants aged 18 years and older across seven coastal districts. Convenience sampling and in-person interviews were used for the data collection. The average knowledge and attitude scores toward seafood safety and consumption were 48.2% and 63.5%, respectively. Several factors influenced seafood safety and consumption knowledge, including age, education level, family size, religion, and residence in coastal areas (all P < 0.05). In contrast, attitudes toward seafood safety and consumption were shaped by education level, family size, employment status, seafood allergies, and history of seafood poisoning (all P < 0.05). The most commonly consumed seafood was rupchanda, followed by shrimp. Most participants consumed seafood for its health benefits, with no significant seasonal impact on seafood consumption. Overfishing and climate change were recognised as the most alarming environmental dangers identified by the participants. Coastal communities in Bangladesh have demonstrated moderate attitudes, but relatively low knowledge of seafood safety and consumption. Targeted educational programmes, including community workshops on safe handling and storage, school-based programmes on marine conservation, and digital campaigns via SMS/social media, are needed to improve seafood safety knowledge, while promoting sustainable consumption practices is crucial for addressing environmental concerns like overfishing. Additionally, improving market accessibility and highlighting the health advantages of seafood can drive more informed and healthier consumption choices.